28 Hours Later
by thunderbellyemm
Summary: Sure you know what happened 28 days later, but what happened in between? Join Bryce and Charlie while they share their journey from day 1-28 as they uncover unanswered questions and occurrences from the first movie in their struggle to survive. FINISHED
1. 28 Hours Later

**28 Hours Later**

_"Starting yesterday at 5:00 PM, there have been great disturbances all across the southern part of England. An entire neighborhood living in Winchester was reportedly attacked by a band of angry haters-"_

_"This is Shelly King reporting live from Lews England. It is now 11:00 PM and I am standing directly at the scene where moments before, what seemed to be some type of cult or grouped broke into the local library killing everyone inside and literally beating them to death-"_

_"Yet another mass murder has struck England last night at 3:00 AM in Farnborough, where eight families all living on the outskirts of town were all brutally beaten to death-"_

_"This has been the largest death tole in all of England's history-"_

_"It is so far reported that over 300 people have died in the past twenty hours-"_

_"It seems that there is a mass outbreak in a new and extremely contagious disease-"_

_"The Infection has spread all the way from Bristol to Margate-"_

_"Wild monsters running around England and destroying everything in sight-"_

_"Lock up your homes and stay inside-"_

_"Contact with the creatures is not advised to all those still uninfected-"_

_"Don't leave-"_

_"They have red-"_

_"Stay calm-"_

_"Do not scr-"_

_"Run-"_

_"Run-"_

_"RUN!"_

_..._


	2. Day 3 Infection

**DAY 3**

Infection

Quickly, a small and cramped van drove at alarmingly fast speeds down the highway heading straight to the airport. It was high noon and although in the middle of summer, no sun shone for thick grey clouds coverd the entire surface of the mesosphere, not showing one strip of blue sky. Outside, the weather was damp with thick humidity, worsening the already angered moods of the small family within. Keeping his hands on the steering wheel and both eyes on the road, a middle-aged man with pepper hair floored the gas pedal of the car and leant back in his seat.

"Honey, were going to fast-"

"Marge, reach inside my jacket pocket now."

"But Tim-"

"Do it!"

Quickly, the brown haired woman beside him shoved her hands into the pockets of his summer vest and with a gasp, pulled out what seemed to be 10 000 in bills. Eyes wide, she glanced down at the pile of money in her hands, then looked back up to her husband.

"Tim, where did you..."

"I withdrew it form our savings account."

"Our savings account? Dad, have you gone mad?!" a tall man who looked to be in his early twenties cried from the back seat. Beside him sat a young girl in her teens, wide eyed and speechless.

"Mark you have to understand we have no choice. If we-"

"Are you fucking serious! Are you telling me-"

"Do you want to die!" Tim finally cut in screaming and looking back to his shocked son. "I'm not letting my family die like this. I won't."

Roughly, he turned back to the wheel and the car fell silent. Not one person talked. Mark, hearing a small sniffling sound turned over to his younger sister and shook his head, her giant brown eyes were glistening with thick tears and she looked over terrified to her older brother. Silently he reached over for her hand and grasping it in his tightly, whispered that it was going to be ok. It had to be.

When they finally reached the air port, Tim cursed and stopped the car with a jolt. Everyone froze.

"Fuck."

There, on the road, was a line of cars parked every witch way, possibly half a kilometer long toward the airport. Every car was empty with and people were running and screaming through the isles trying to get to their destination. Quickly, Tim unbuckled his seatbelt and opening the car door, stepped out, looking over the sea of automobiles.

"Out of the car." he commanded.

All three in the car rushed out and begun running.

"Stay close together!"

Quickly, Mark grabbed onto his sisters wrist and begun running ahead of his parents, weaving through the hundreds of cars. When finally reaching the giant white building, the small group pushed and shoved through the thick crowd and somehow, managed to get right up to the gate. There, armored soldiers all dressed and suited up in black, stood stiff as a brick wall, pushing all back that attempted to enter past immigration. There, their hard plastic shields met with the angered and scared fists of English men and women alike, beating down onto them.

The young girl watch in fear as her father, mother and brother all pleaded and screamed for mercy. Her fathers hands were filled with money along with the hands of the hundreds around them. Tightly, she held onto her brother's hand, reaching over and grasping his shirt with her other. Suddenly, in the crowd, there was a very distinct and high-pitched screech. A cry like no other she had head before. A cry so blood curdling, everyone hushed and turned their heads and gasped... Infected. Somehow, in all the commotion and conflict, Infected-the term in witch the news and policed used to name the new found epidemic-managed to break inot the building and weave their way into the crowd. It had only been three days since the Infection had been reportedly exposed and ever since then, it began to spread like wild fire. Town to town, city to city. No matter what anyone tried, it managed to surpass every obstacle and circulated rapidly.

Around her, people began screaming louder and shoving and pushing, threw her from side to side and back again. Quickly her broth took off, her trailing behind. The ground began to rise and oddly, self soft and spongy with the unusual hard lump or tow sticking out of it. The sound of crunching and breaking could be heard as she ran. Scared, she looked down and screamed, bringing a hand up to her mouth. There on the floor was a carpet of bodies. The bodies of fallen who never managed to get back up. Suddenly, a stray elbow came up and sharply, assailed her in her stomach, throwing her back.

"Mark!" she cried, people crowding around the arms of her's and her brothers. The wails of infected wrung out through the room.

Her hands began to loosen, his grip slipping away form her's.

"Mark!" she yelled out again, but there was no reply.

With a small shriek, their hold broke and he was dragged out into the crowd. Again she called her brother's name in hopes of finding him. Quickly the mosh pit of people moved forward not giving her room to escape. Roughly, she kicked and pushed, trying with all her might to get to safety and if she could, find her lost family members. Suddenly seeing the arch of a doorway, she made her way violently across the remainder of the crowd. Just getting to the opening, she tripped and fell hard onto the marble floor landing on her side. Quickly she looked back and just as she did, there in front of her eyes, a woman covered in blood and screaming, was half doubled over her eyes wide in shock and pain as an Infected ripped her throat out with it's bare hands. Not waiting another second, she scrambled off the floor frantically and ran into what seemed to be the women's washroom. Inside was eight stalls all lined up side by side each with a black and white porcelain toilets inside. On the other side of the small room was a red couch and four matching white sinks. Frantically, the young girl looked around for a window finding nothing and then luckily, spotted a vent sitting just above the sixth toilet. Without missing a beat, she ran into the stall and jumping up onto the toilet clawed at it's metal cover in turn, ripping it open. Mustering up all the possible upper body strength she possessed, the girl pulled herself up into the small crawl space, pushing herself up by stepping on the walls of the stalls. Finally inside, she backed far into the vent and quietly, curled up into a ball closing her eyes tightly and cried, the screams and howls of thousands of innocent rocking her to sleep in the dark empty vent.


	3. Day 7

**DAY 7**

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** Hiya! Well, I bet most of you were all like, "Ok... I don't get it." after the first two chapters, but sneaky sneaky me, if yall have been listening in the first movie you would all understand exactly what's going on! Ok, remember when Selena, Jim and Mark are at Jim's house and Mark shares his story? Well, tada! Remember, the airport with his sister and w/e? Now you remember his name, eh?:P:P

Well yeah. I wanted to make a story that started straight from the beginning of the entire 28 Days because first you have a movie on 28 days later and then 28 weeks late, but nothing that talks about those first 6 days, 12 days, 20 and so on. So yeah. It's filler pretty much. I also did this because I wanted a story about kids ya know and how they fight to survive, not soldiers or 'grownups'. Then when watching the movie for insperation, I thought, "hey! why not make a story about mark's little sis!" and decided to make a fic!

Through the story I'll also be covering a lot of wierd unknown happenings in the first movie. You may not understand what I just said, but hey, I don't either so for now, COPE! AND READ! 'cause that would be quite lovely. Hope you all like it! XD

**THANK YOU TO MY AMAZIN' BETA JAN LEE!! **Who, without her crazy-awesome betaing and totally fantastic writing knoledge... my writing would be shit! **THANK YOU! XD**

**--**

Quietly, from the inside of a small, white passenger plane, four figures moved slowly in the silence moving into a circle. Tightly they hovered around one another, each holding out their right hands. Within the group knelt Bryce, a boy about fifteen with messy black hair, a broad and muscled physique and pale skin. Scared and anxious, he quickly balled his right hand up into a tight fist and inhaling, whispered - eyes closed, "Rock, paper, scissors."

The small plane went quiet. Gingerly, he opened his eyes.

_Fuck. _

With fear and anger he looked down into the group, scanning each hand as he looked from side to side.

_This has to be wrong. _

Every person other than him sat, right hand extended in a tight fist - rock - while Bryce instead sat with his hands in a sideways peace sign - scissors. Frozen, he just sat staring at his hand. The older boy beside him clapped him on the back and stood.

"Looks like it's your turn, mate." he smiled sadly.

"But he's the youngest here, don't you think one of us should go - I mean-" a woman protested but was then rudely cut off.

"Oh, so then yew want to go runnin' in that death trap again then?" the man beside her snapped. "Rob went, Rose went and so did Kent. Fare and square Elisa, that's all there is to it. Naw, you did yer part, Max did 'is part and I sure as hell did mine. We haven't eaten in three fucking days and I'm starvin' righte naw. It's either the lad goes or yew starve to death, because if I have to go into the place one more fucking time to fill all your sorry guts, I'm only gettin' enough for me," he finished, his Scottish accent thick.

Elisa frowned and threw a small 'sorry' to Bryce as she nervously played with her hair.

The extremely sad part about the entire thing was that Jhon - a tall and handsome Scot in his early twenties - was absolutely right. After the first day, the party 'which was once made up of eight people' managed to eat all the food left on the abandoned plane and then ran out of water, then becoming prey to severe dehydration and slight starvation. On the fourth day, desperate and in dire need of nourishment, the three eldest of the party, Kent, Rob and Rose, bravely set out back into the demolished English airport in search for food, but sadly, never came back. A day later, still ravenous, Jhon, the eldest in the group led Elisa and Max with him into a small snack shop deep in the airport's shopping area later returning to their hideout with what little food they could find and many long knives taken from a display. It had been two days since then and with all the food gone, they had no choice but to search for more. They all decided that it would be safer if only one person went, seeing as how it would be faster and would be more discreet. Jhon was right. Bryce was the only one who hadn't gone and he needed to do his share if he wanted to live. He had no choice.

In the silence, the young man slowly stood and turning, shoved a folded scrap of paper into his pocket. He was going to need a map if he wanted to get through to the small shop.

"I'll be back in a bit," he said then crawled quietly through the fairly large tear ripped into the side of the plane. Luckly, the plane in witch he and his small group had been hiding in for the past few days had previously crashed into the far left side airport during the attack and thankfully, giving them a place to stay.

Hands coming into the contact with the white tiled floor, Bryce peered around and stood. He was now on the second floor of the airport. Seeing that the coast was clear, he ran further into the core of the mall section. Everywhere, bodies were littered on the floor - torn to pieces and laying in odd and distorted positions. Bryce had to hold his breath from gagging at the horrid and repungent smell of the rotting and dead flesh, not once stopping to examine them for fear that he would find someone he knew or worse, find his loved ones. The young man's family came to the airport in hopes of somehow buying their way onto a plane, but it didn't matter because like them, almost all of London had the exact same idea.

Pulling out the crumpled map from his pocket, Bryce checked it over, every now and then glancing around as he knelt slightly panting behind a bookcase. Peaking over it he looked around. Across from him was a tuxedo shop and about five stores down, the snack shop.

_There you are._

Checking if the coast was clear one last time, Bryce bolted toward the shop, dashing inside and quickly pulling off his sweater and stuffing it with everything he could get his hands on. Dropping it down onto the floor and holding onto the two sleeves along with the hood, he created a bag and once it was filled, tied the arms together and slung it over his right shoulder. A cool draft blew past his now bare arms. Quickly he moved now wanting to get back to the plane even more.

Gazing back around the side of the shop, he saw that it was silent and that thankfully, his cover wasn't blown.

"One, two, three... go!"

He took off in a mad sprint, his back straight, hands flat and sharp as arrows and his eyes focused. Panting heavily, he turned a sharp corner around a Starbucks and suddenly, as he passed, a distorted and twisted arm with it's bone sticking out of its joint, snagged hold of Bryce's shoelace making him slip and as he fell, the hood of his bag cough onto a coat stand throwing it onto the ground beside him. Blood splatered across his face and hands, the loud clang of metal against metal ringing out through the deserted airport. Flustered and stunned, the boy's head shot up and froze, for not only did his come up, but four others and not those of a human being's. No. He stared in fear into the cold and bloodshot black eyes that haunted his dreams for days now. Infected.

"Shit."

Quickly, he scrambled up onto his feet and took off running. The horrid sound of their screams reverberated off the walls and made the hairs on Bryce's neck shoot skyward.

"Shit, shit, shit, shit!"

Quickly looking back to check if they had gotten any closer, the young man was only alarmed to see that now it was not only four Infected, but to what he guessed, eight. Not able to run to the plane, he leaped over gate and quickly ran down an escalator to the ground floor. He looked back once again and still, the Infected were on his trail, momentarily caught at the gate but quickly scaling it. Pausing to take in his surroundings, Bryce quickly ran straight, turning into a bathroom and looking around inside. There were no windows and no other exits.

"Shit! Oh fuck, what do I do?" he said, hands in his hair and searching around frantically.

Hearing the Infected, he quickly ran into a stall in hopes of hiding and stood on the toilet not knowing what else to do. The screams began to get louder and louder and at that moment he knew. _I'm a dead man, I'm going to die. I'm going to di-_

Abruptly, out of nowhere Bryce felt a sharp tug at the neck of his shirt and was suddenly lifted off of his feet and into the ceiling. He yelled.

--

The howls and cries of Infected awoke the young girl and she jerked awake up in her vent. It had now been four days since she climbed up into the small shaft and not once since has she climbed out or even moved. Over and over she dreamt about her brother and family wondering if they were okay, not knowing weather they were dead, alive or worst, infected. On the first day after the brutal attack, some of the thousands in the large airport were somehow still alive, but by the second, they were all gone and it would have been an absolute miracle if at least one other person than her was still sane and breathing.

The sound of loud footsteps came banging into the small washroom. Soundlessly, the girl sat up and crawled toward the opening in front of her. Cautiously, she peer down into the room. _Infected?_

"Shit! Oh fuck, what do I do?" a stressed and shaking voice said. It was male and with the sound of thigs, practically screaming.

Alarmed and a bit taken back, she brought her head so it was directly peeking through the hole and she gazed in amazement. There in the bathroom was a boy - and not just any boy, a _human_ boy! He wasn't infected! Her mouth slightly hung open as she moved more squarely over the hole. He quickly ran into the stall below her and closed the door, not locking it. She watched as he jumped up onto the toilet and looked around in alarm. The screams of the Infected came closer. At that moment a rock hard thought hit her..._ If he dies, I'll be... _the screams grew louder.

_Alone._

Acting on impulse, she reached down through the hole and mustering up all the strength her had left in her body, grasped the back of his shirt and getting a strong grip on it, pulled with all her might. Amazingly and to her surprise, she managed to haul the heavy young man up into the vent with her. Immediately after getting him fully up into the shaft, he began to yell and squirm around like some wild animal that had been shot. Not wanting him to give away their hiding place, she quickly rolled up onto him and forcefully pressed her hand against his mouth.

"Shutup, idiot!" she hissed angrily staring down at him.

Seeing her for the first time, he stopped moving and lay still beneath her. Her light brown hair falling like a curtain around their faces making it slightly darker. Slowly she bent her head by his ear and whispered,

"Do not move a muscle."

At this point, Bryce was frozen form relief and at the same time, confusion.

_What just happened? How did she find him? Why was she up in this vent? Who the fuck is __**she**__ anyways?!_

One moment ago he was moments away from being torn to pieces, but was now oddly nestled beneath a girl he had never once seen before in his life. Her hand pressed tightly against his mouth and her face, placed millimeters from his ear, her soft breath dancing across his skin. The smell of apples filled his nostrils.

There was a loud bang. Two infected ran into the bathroom and stood silent. Bryce felt the girl tense above him and closed his eyes tightly. Long moments passed. Small beads of sweat trickled down the sides of his face as an Infected walked directly below the opened vent.

_Don't look up, don't look up... _

With a one last glance and a loud grunt, the monsters left the room and after about ten more seconds, he relaxed. The girl let out a sigh and slowly went limp above him. For long time the laid together. Bryce, who was exausted form running made no motion to move and closed his eyes, relaxing for a moment in the silence. Piece by piece, he began to come to his senses and was now vaugely aware of her calmed heartbeat thumping in time with his own and the pressure of her small breasts pressing against his chest. His cheeks began to heat up.

The girl then all of a sudden moved her hand and placing it beside his head, lifted herself off him and sat up, sliding a few feet away from Bryce. The young man slowly sat up and eyes adjusting to the darkness and looked over at his savior. The girl sat with her legs crossed in front of her and both hands in her lap, slightly hunched over. She wore dark blue jeans, a slightly loose green top and a light green knitted sweater with wooden buttons. She looked to be close to his age and was was quite skinny. On her feet were Converse sneakers like his and on her face, the biggest and most beautiful eyes Bryce had ever seen.

"Thanks... for saving me an' all." he said quietly.

Staring at him intently, she nodded and smiled, "No problem." She said then brushed a bundle of long hair out of her face and tucked it behind her left ear. "I'm Charlie, Charlie Ross."

_Charlie..._ he said her name in his head, "Bryce Renolds." he said back.

_Bryce,_ she thought, _a boy in my English class had the same name._

Looking him over, she tilted her head slightly to the side and stared. He had shaggy black hair - that if anything, resembled a porcupine in how it was so incredibly messy and stood up at all ends. He had a handsome face; a strong jaw line, thick lips and bright blue eyes. He was also, as she could see from his finely toned arms, quite built. Trailing her eyes down his right shoulder, the blue sweater in witch he had held the food in cough her eye.

"What's that?" she asked pointing to it.

Startled, he looked to the bag and pulled it in front of him and untied the arms.

"Just some food."

There on top of the lump of blue material was a mountain of delicious looking sustenance - sandwiches and packaged muffins more preferably. Her eyes grew wide and she gawked.

"Where did you get all this?" she demanded.

"I grabbed it all from a snack shop on the second floor."

She made a motion to grab at a sub, but stopped and looked up to Bryce with pleading eyes.

"Oh, do you want some?"

Charlie nodded viscously. It had been four whole days since she had eaten or drank anything. She grabbed a sandwich and a juice box, ripping open the plastic and digging into the food.

"Umm." she moaned.

Bryce chuckled slightly, and she threw him another shy smile while she sipped on her orange juice. Bryce knew the feeling; to be so hungry that you'd eat anything on site. He knew what it felt like. Reaching for a muffin, he looked up to her again, noting how she barley made eye contact was for their entire meal, silent.

When finished eating, Charlie threw the juice box and sandwich wrapper behind her further down into the tunnel and turned back around to Bryce. The vent was now completely black due to how it was now the night except odd the faint white glow, located slightly beyond the girl. Noticing this, Bryce wrapped up the food and got onto his hands and knees, crawling past Charlie.

"What are you doing?" she asked as he moved past her.

"I see something,"

He moved toward the light. Charlie, curious to what her newfound friend was looking for, followed behind him. Bryce came to a stop and looked down a small connecting vent.

"Look!" he exclaimed, "I can see outside!"

Charlie maneuvered herself beside him and stared in the direction he was looking.

"See it?" he asked her.

"Yeah," she started, "but what's that in front of it?"

Being in the dark, Bryce could barley make out anything and slowly, moved forward, right hand outstretched. Suddenly, the tips of his fingers thought what felt like cold metal. he now felt it with both hands.

"It's a... a fan," he said finally.

At this time, it would have been moving but on the third day after the attack, the Infected must have somehow gotten into the power lines because around noon, all power in the airport went off. Charlie moved closer to him and reached her hand out to it.

"What do we do, it's in the way." he said.

"Move back." she then sad bluntly.

"Wha'?"

"Move back for a second, kay."

Throwing her an odd look, Bryce quickly backed out of the vent and squinted in the darkness at the girl. There was a sudden loud bag.

"Bloody hell!" Bryce whispered angrily, "What the fuck was-"

There was another loud bang, and then another and another until there was a ripping sound, then silence.

"There." Charlie said with a slight sigh in her voice.

Bryce moved toward her, now speaking in a low and quiet voice, "What the heck did you do?! God only knows what heard that racket!"

Charlie crawled over the now broken fan and dislodged the vent cover. Silver moonlight poured into the small crawl space and she smiled.

"Calm down, I just kicked it down is all."

Bryce brought his arm up to shade his eyes from the almost blinding light, then adjusting to its brightness, made his way toward the opening. There, the black night sky seemed to stretched out forever as the giant full moon illuminated the grey clouds surrounding it. Charlie's eyes shone and for a moment, she seemed to almost glow. Bryce watched her in the silence.

"Is that the plane you were talking about?" she said breaking his trance.

Bryce poked his head out of the hole and just about died.

"That is the exact plane I was talking about."

There, not twenty feet away, lodged tightly into the second floor of the airport was the small passenger plane that Bryce had took refuge in for the past five days or so. If we could just get to it... he thought looking around. Below them was an open dumpster filled with cardboard boxes and styrofoam. Also, not too far off was one of the portable staircases that they have when unloading some passengers.

"Grab onto my wrist, I'm lowering you down." he said.

"What?"

"We need to get to that plane. There are other poeple there who need this food and that can help us out."

Charlie, giving him a scared look, trustingly took his hands lowered herself off the edge of the vent. Seeing as how they were suspended a good fifteen feet off the ground, she still fell a good six feet into the bin. Giving Bryce the thumbs up, he too lowered himself over the edge and dropped down into the dumpster. Hitting a cardboard box, he rolled over and grunted.

"Ow." he said rubbing the back of his head.

Charlie peered over the edge of the green bin and sighed, "No Infected."

Quickly, the two jumped out of the dumpster and as fats and as noiselessly as they could, ran to the staircase, pushing it toward the plane and pressing it up against the side entrance. The two ran up the stairs and Bryce quietly knocked on the door. There was no sound.

"Open up. It's me, Bryce."

There was still no response. Charlie looked around to make sure there was still no one in sight.

He hit it again, "Goddammit, open the damn door."

There was still no answer. Bryce began to panic. _How lond had it been since he was gone? Could they have left him once thought he was never coming back? Did something happen? Why the __**hell **__wasn't someone opening the door?! _

"Crap, what do we do?" he mumbeled under his breath.

He knew that if they were indeed inside, they would have alreayd opened the door by now, but if they wern't...

There was a loud clang from inside the plane. Bryce froze on the spot. _What if Infected had got them? _The thought never crossed this mind. Not once had her ever emagined that even one person from his small group could even possibly... Slowly he backed up. More movement.

"Charlie, I think we should go." he whispered to the girl.

She stood by the door feet planted. Bryce took her arm in a strong grip and tuged sharply.

"Charlie, I really think we should go back-"

At that second, the large metal door flew open, two large pairs of hands reaching out and gripping both Charlie's and Bryce's collars pulled them inside. The bright moonlight spilled in through the circular windows of the plane. Charlie and Bryce were roughly dragged across the floor and pushed up against a wall. The two screamed.

"Hey, what the-" Bryce began then stopped, a long sharp knife pointed at his face.

"Did one of 'em bite yew?" a man with a thick Scottish accent asked. It was Jhon.

Charlie backed up against the wall as much as possible and sat silent. In the background she noted the shadowy figures of two other people.

"What do you mean 'am I bit', of course I'm not-"

"I said," the man said sternly, "Did-one-bite-yew?"

Bryce gave him a hated glare and let out a breath, shaking his head. "No."

"You sure?"

He nodded. The knife then moved toward Charlie and she shuddered.

"And your friend here?"

Bryce slapped the man's hand away and stood. "She's clean."

The Scot grunted and put the knife back into his pants. From behind him, the two others came into view.

"Where's our food?" a female voice asked sounding quite excited; Elisa.

"Here." Bryce said, then threw down his sweater. They went at it like flock of seagulls.

"Who's the broad?" the younger looking man asked.

"Her name's Charlie." Bryce said heatedly. "Charlie, that's Max, this is Elisa and he's Jhon." he finished, pointing to each.

Charlie watched as the three ate in silence, not wanting to say anything.

"So tell me," Elisa started taking a large bite into a muffin, "What took you so long."

Bryce sat down in one of the blue seats and leaned back closing his eyes.

"Long story."


	4. Day 8 Epidemic

**DAY 8**

Epidemic

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** muahahah! the fourth chapter is finally out! XD I just wanted to say that I prolly wont be posting for about a good two weeks or so... or three because I've got a crazy month ahead of me and I'm a tad short on time, you know? So, I made this one extra long so hope you all like it!... yeah!! XD **100 thumbs up to my amazing beta Jan Lee! woot woot!** Good reading everyone! XD

--

Charlie sat silently, gazing through the dim morning light at the four forms moving quietly within the small white airplane. She pulled her legs up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them, surveyed the hangar. It had only been eight hours since she had came to the small party and even now while everyone seemed calm and collected, the overall stress and desolation being exhibited by the group was amazing. To her far right, sitting in a corner by the door was the woman named Elisa. Her long brown hair which was pulled back tightly into a pony tail, hung from her pale fingers as she twirled it again and again in her hands, singing to herself and moving the fingers on her other hand as if she were playing an invisible piano. Behind her , Max, also known as Matthew, laid still in one of the passenger seats gazing up at the ceiling and every now and then gazing out the small circular windows searching for Infected. Then of course there was Jhon, the handsome Scot who in truth, slightly scared Charlie. Like a lion, he paced vigorously by the entrance of the cockpit, his long knife in hand and wide eyed. He had been doing so ever since Charlie came, only once stopping to eat. Even Bryce, the young man who she had rescued the day before seemed to be in his own little world as he tossed and turned in the seat beside her in a mad attempt to get at least a wink of sleep. Charlie buried her face in her knees.

_If I stay in here any longer, I just might go looney myself, _she thought and sighed.

Why, if not the thought of Infected outside the plane that would her dotty, it would definitely be the tiny white passenger plane in witch the group was hiding, for even with the short amount of time she'd been inside it, Charlie already felt the strong need jump out one of the windows and end her very life. Inside the plane was a total of 38 crudely upholstered seats made perfectly into two straight rows-18 on each side-and then two fold-down seats by the exit. Directly between each row of two was a small circular window-within the plane, a of total-16. Charlie, now slightly obsessed on the subject, also noticed how washroom number 3 out of the 4 in the back of the plane had a leaky faucet, who's dripping she could hear all the way into the cabin. The lights over seats 9, 13, 28 and 33 were burned out and the covers off of the fans in seats 5, 19, 21 and 39 were missing. There was also the ever so pungent smell of rotting flesh seeping in through the tear in the cockpit that made her want to vomit and gag.

The small 'tack' of the water droplets hitting the stainless steal sink rang out in her head, _tack, tack, tack... _the ceiling began to spin. Charlie pulled her hands over her ears and pressed hard down onto them, closing her eyes tightly..

_Shutup, shutup, shutup, shutup!-_

The soft feel of a hand on her shoulder snapped her out of her trance. Quickly, her head shot up and she turned. Bryce sat with a worried look on his face. _I have to say it,_ she thought, not being able to hold in her feelings any longer. Why if not her who was going to say it, then who?

"Bryce, I-" she was suddenly cut off.

"I can't stand it anymore!" a shrill voice yelled out.

Elisa then jumped up from the floor of the plane and walking over to the door, ripped the fire distinguisher off the wall and wheeling back, slammed it against the small circular window with all her might. Everyone within the airplane panicked. Max and Bryce jumped from their seats and ran over to the ranting woman, attempting to calm her down.

"Elisa, shh! Stop-Elisa, please stop-"

Suddenly, she spun around throwing the small red tank. It hit Max square in the face causing him to fall backward onto his behind. Blood splattered from his nose.

"Max!" Charlie yelled and ran to his side, trying to move him away from the scene.

Elisa began to scream and cry. About two seats behind Charlie and Max, Bryce stood in shock. _Crap, crap, crap! _the young man thought not knowing what to do. If she kept screaming and yelling like this, Infected would definitely hear her and God only knows. Looking around wildly, Bryce's eyes fell upon the small red fire distinguisher at his feet. Elisa was now ripping apart a seat.

_I have no choice!_

Swooping down, he picked up the blunt object then hovered over the woman hands over his head - frozen.

_Her or all of us Bryce, just do it! Kill her, Kill her now-_

Jhon, finally reacting to the scene, jumped into action, taking hold of the panicking woman. Quickly he slapped a hand onto her mouth holding it shut and with his other arm, wrapped, it around her tightly. She screamed into his hand and he backed into the wall of the plane, hitting his head against the hard steal wall.

"Shite!" he growled angrily.

For a short moment, she wrestled in his arms hot tears now poring out of her eyes and down her face until finally, she began to calm down. Quiet sobs then erupted from her shaking form. Jhon gave out a sigh and

slid down to the floor the woman still in his arms. He did not move his hand.

"Shh, naw. It's gonna be okay, it's gonna be okay."

Lifting an arm, he held out his hand to Bryce and gave a small nod. Bryce lowered his arms and stood there almost petrified. He dropped the extinguisher onto the floor and watched it roll under a row of seats. _Was I about to...?_

There was a sudden cry outside of the plane. Everyone fell silent. Bryce immediately fell to his knees, ducking out of sight. Infected were running around the plane. There were more howls and after a few minutes, they stopped and nothing else was heard for a long time. Elisa let out her few last sobs and reaching up with a trembling hand, took hold of Jhon's hand and slowly lowered it. Her eyes were red and puffy. Max sat up holding one of the plane's pillows against his nose, the entire side of it stained red. Charlie glanced over to him and quietly whispered,

"You okay?"

The bleeding and wounded eighteen year oldnodded slowly, closing his eyes and moving into a more comfortable position. Seeing him, Elisa looked down into her hands and said sounding quite ashamed of herself,

"Sorry."

"Sorry?" Bryce snapped suddenly.

Charlie turned to him, a confused look on her face.

"You almost got all of us _killed_ just now and all you have to say is _sorry_? Are you _serious_?"

Everyone in the plane seemed to almost be stunned. For once, Jhon wasn't the one to snap, this time it was Bryce. Charlie sat in amazement. The boy who she had seen to be a kind and loving soul turned the tables and was acting like... she couldn't think of a word. Was the isolation and stress of the Infection effecting everyone that much?

With a huff, Bryce gave everyone one last angry look and getting up, stormed off into one of the washroom stalls. The small green tab over the door flipped to red. Everyone slowly turned back to the small circle and was silent.

"Dammit!" Elisa then said, "He's right, I should have fucking kept my mouth shut! It's all my fault,"

"Oi," Jhon said placing a hand on her arm, "This is no one's fault. All this 'Infection' and shite happened so fast," he looked to everyone. "We just need time to adjust."

Elisa rolled her eyes and turned to him, "Time to adjust my ass," she reached into her pocket and pulled out a small orange bottle, "I've got a fucking panic disorder. I'm on antidepressants," she kicked the bottle with her foot, "I pop those things like if they were candy."

Charlie reached for the bottle and read the label, "Prozac?"

"Yeah," the woman hiccuped.

"Jesus Christ," Jhon said taking the bottle and reading the back of the bottle, "How many a'these do yew take a day?"

Elisa reached back into her pocket and pulled out three other bottles. Two were empty.

"I used to take one of each, each day, but yesterday I ran out of Lexpro and Effexor."

Max took a bottle in his hand, "Cymbalta? My mum took these things. She had to get a pacemaker and was hospitalized for six weeks. You really shouldn't take these."

Charlie looked at the pills. She had almost forgot that there were in truth, other people in the world. Before the Infection, she saw life as it was and only ever thought of celebrities when mentioning things like this, but now, seeing an actual 'normal' person suffering from an actual disorder, her eyes were finally opened. The world isn't a perfect place, she just never thought of the possibilities. Elisa, who Charlie guessed to be at least twenty years old was always kind and never once said anything out of term, yet oddly enough, the girl could not help but wonder about her. When all was quiet and everyone off to their own business, Elisa would always retreat to a washroom for a few minutes and emerge like nothing was wrong. Charlie knew she couldn't have been using it and now knew what exactly was going on.

She picked up one of the empty bottles and curled her fingers around it tightly. Standing, she brushed off her pants and asked, "Can I borrow this for a sec?"

Elisa whipped her eyes and nodded.

--

Charlie walked slowly down the narrow isle hitting each seat with her free hand as she passed, stopping in front of a small white door. She knocked... There was no answer, so she this time, she knocked a tad louder. Still nothing.

"Bryce," she called, "It's me, Charlie. Open up will you?"

There was a short silence then slowly, a quiet rustling sound was heard from inside the washroom. The bright red green card slid to green and she stepped back. The door opened.

"Get in," he said flatly.

Charlie quickly stepped into the room and shut the door behind her, leaning onto it, hands behind her back. Cocking her head to the side, she stared at Bryce. He squirmed under her heavy gaze.

"What?" he finally snapped, not able to take the stiff silence.

"What do you mean 'what'?" the girl said back. "You know exactly what."

Bryce sat down onto the cover of the toilet and put his head in his hands, rubbing his forehead. Charlie pushed herself off of the door and shoved the orange bottle in his face, making sure he saw it.

"It's Lexpro, Bryce," she said, "An antidepressant. Elisa has a panic disorder, she can't help it."

Seeing the bottle, Bryce gave one quick glance then puched her hand away, turning his head. Charlie was shocked.

"Bryce, please. It's not her fault, I already told you, she has a panic-"

"No, no, no," he cut in, waving a hand. "It's just that... that I..." The words would not form in his mouth.

Charlie was now irritated. She flailed her arms and gave him an confused look.

"You what, Bryce? What! Just tell me, because if it's-"

Bryce stood abruptly and walked toward her angrily. Charlie stepped back, afraid and backed up into the door. He raised his hand and pointed in the direction of the group.

"I almost killed her, Charlie. Me, Bryce Renolds, almost _killed_ her." The anger in his eyes were slowly replaced by sadness. "I knew we were in danger, I knew it-and without even thinking about it, I was ready. I wanted to kill her Charlie. I almost killed someone. Another person! One of _us_!"

He hung his head and ran a shaking hand through his hair.

"I'm only a kid," he looked back up to her. "_We're_ only kids,"

He was right, Charlie knew it. It was one of the only things she'd been thinking about for the past eight days. She was only a kid. Why, Charlie wasn't even the legal age to drive, drink, buy smoke or even have sex, let alone kill someone. True, there were no age restrictions on the subject, but still.

Charlie stood silent.

Bryce looked up to his friend and looking down into her giant brown eyes gave a sad smile. He knew she understood, because sooner or later, she too would be presented with the choice. Live or die.

The young man reached behind her and turned the knob on the door, it opened slightly.

"Come on, let's go."

--

Returning to the group, Bryce saw that Max's nose had stopped bleeding, Jhon was quiet and Elisa was surprisingly sitting beside him. The woman looked up to him.

"Sorry..." the boy said just about a whisper.

Elisa, remembering what it was like at that age, smiled and nodded then said, "It's ok, sweetheart."

There was a long silence afterward. Everyone stared randomly into space.

"We have to get out of here," Elisa said finally.

"What?" Max asked, "You mean the plane?"

"No," she started, "I mean the airport. Here. We can't stay here. It isn't safe."

Bryce and Charlie nodded, Max did as well, "I'd have to agree with that."

"Well, I'd tend te disagree with yuh's."

Max turned sharply, "No one asked you, Jhon."

The two stared hotly at each other.

"Four to one Scot, we win and we say leave."

Jhon was out numbered. Rolling his eyes and kicking the seat in front of him, he threw a small fit, mumbling under his breath and cursing. The man looked over all of their faces and and with and angry sigh said defeated, "Fine," then, getting an arrogant look on his face interjected, "but here d'yew plan on goin'?"

It was silent again, Jhon smirked.

"My grandparents," Charlie said suddenly, a thought coming into her mind.

"Your... grandparents?" Elisa asked a tad confused at what exactly the girl was trying to suggest.

"Yeah-I mean-my grandmum and my granddad got this camp off in you know. I used to go out there with them every summer."

Everyone game her an odd look. "We can go there I mean. The place is really isolated and hard to find. It's right off the road and up this hill. No one would be able to find it."

She gazed excitedly at everyone, "I know exactly where it is."

Everyone nodded. Jhon sat still unimpressed.

"My older brother owned a cabin up there," Elisa added, "Him, his wife and my neice used to spend a lot of time there."

Jhon cut in, tiered of all of their ramblings, "Lovely," he said scarcastically, "Just lovely, but how d'yew plan on gettin' there naw?

Yet another problem. Max and Elisa turned to each other and conversed as Jhon and Charlie threw in ideas at random. Bryce stared aimlessly out the window thinking. True, Charlie's idea was good, but getting there was indeed a problem, not to mention the amount of time it would take to get there. The trip in truth, was only a fair three hours and a half, but granted that they were on foot and were not able to travel at night, the trip looked to be a good day or two. The young man scanned the parking lot.

"How about we use that thing," the boy then said suddenly.

Everyone looked to him. Bryce pointed out the window to the small and old automobile parked not ten feet away. It was a 1941 jeep used as transportation for the military in World War II. Elisa, now looking over Bryce's shoulder inspected the car.

"It's a hunk of garbage," she said looking disgusted. "Can that even hold all of us?"

"Yeah," Max added, "How old is that thing? What, one-hundred years old now?"

"Late sixties," Bryce cut in.

Jhon pushed his way through to look at the jeep, "Intrestin' concern all of you, but what I'm morley worried about is how we're gonna get the thing started. As you can see, it's got no keys."

And of course, Jhon was right - again. From where the group was standing, they all could see clearly that there were no keys. Bryce smirked.

"Exactly," the young man felt an overwhelming wave of safistication wash over him. "It's doesn't need keys,"

Charlie threw him an odd look. "No keys?" she asked.

"Yup," Bryce answered moving closer to the window, "Inside the car, there's like this knob thing on the dash board that you turn and then there's this button you push and there, you've got yourself a car."

Everyone was silent, thinking over the possibilities. Jhon had a slight look of satisfaction and nodded his head. Bryce felt proud.

"Sorry to cut in everyone, but we still have one more problem," Elisa started, "It's about two football fields length to the nearest road and all inside of that, a trailer park of Infected."

Charlie spotted at least five infected laying out on the runway. She sighed. Another idea shot down by their sad circumstances.

Max, still wanting to fight on the subject, looked around eyes wide trying to find any possibly answer to their 'slight' problem.

"I think I've got an idea," he said looking out through the back window of the air plane.

"You think?" Jhon said skeptical.

"Actually," Max smiled as he stood, "I know I've got an idea."

--

An overwhelming silence filled the abandoned runway. Bodies and garbage littered the hot pavement along with randomly parked planes and cars, sitting unused and useless in Heathrow, the place witch was at one time, the largest airport in all of England and was now a garbage dump. Off in the distance, not too far from the small group's hideout, Charlie and Jhon crouched behind a boarded railing on top of a small watch tower. Jhon slowly peeked around the side of the staircase. He gazed intently at the small white aircraft jammed into the side of the airport.

"Come on."

Meanwhile, back at the hideout, Max, holding a piece of broken mirror in his hand, walked over to the far back end of the plane and looked out the open door, down to the ground below. There, at the end of the steps, sat Bryce and Elisa, crouching low to hide themselves behind the bright blue tarp-like rails. They gave a thumbs up. Max immediately ran to a window and intelligently moving the piece of glass in his hand made a dim flashing light directed straight for their comrades who were now, a good fifty feet away.

"Yew ready little one?" Jhon asked Charlie, seeing the signal.

Charlie, frightened, gave a stiff nod.

While they were deciding on what they were to do in Max's plan, Charlie somehow managed to become a decoy along side with Jhon. When the sugestion of decoys was first mentioned, the Scot was the first to jump to plate along with Bryce. But then, seeing as how the young man was the only one who was able to start the car, he was forced to stay. Elisa was compleatly out of the question because she -besides Jhon- was the only one who knew how to drive. Max of course wanted nothing to do with Jhon so who other than brave Charlie to run in and same the day.

She took a deep breath.

"Okay, on the count of three..." Jhon said and Charlie took a deep breath. "One...tew... THREE!"

Immediately, the two shot up and from their position, now fifteen feet off the ground and jumping up and down, screamed as loud as they could.

"Hey yew fuckin' bastards! Come and get me! Come and get some!" Jhon howled.

"Come and get it!" Charlie echoed, sticking two fingers in her mouth and whisteling.

Out on the runway, dozens of heads popped up from behind various objects. Charlie cringed and kept yelling. _Bryce, hurry up!_

-

As soon as Bryce heard Jhon and Charlie yelling, he and Elisa took off in the direction of the old jeep with Max trailing behind. Bryce, placing his right hand on the door for support, hopped over the door and into the passenger seat. Her quickly turned the knob. Elisa got into the driver's seat. Bryce pressed the button... nothing happened.

"What?" he said breathlessly.

Max finally got into he jeep. He pressed it again... still nothing.

"Bryce, why isn't it starting?" Elisa asked panicked.

He began hitting the button with a closed fist.

"Got damn it, I knew this thing was a piece of shit! We should have thought of something else-"

"-Bryce, start the car-"

"-'cause if we have, we wouldn't be having this problem-"

Bryce glanced up looking toward the small watch tower. A hoard of infected ran screaming and yelling toward Jhon and Charlie. There wasn't very much time left. _I've got to save Charlie, she saved my life and now I have to return the favor._

"God damn it!" the young man then yelled out, "Just fucking start!"

In a fit of rage and frustration, he angrily kicked the dashboard with his foot and with a sudden splutter, the car started. The engine roared. Raising up to cheer, Bryce was roughly thrown back into his seat. Elisa pressed her foot hard against the gas pedal, flooring it and they were off. Bryce clutched onto the sided of the car. It swerved, narrowly missing the leg of their plane.

"Holy shit!" Max yelled from the back seat.

"I think right about now would be a good time to tell you all that I can't drive stick!" Elisa said with a terrified look on her face as the car swerved around the piles of debris and God-knows-what.

"You what?!" Bryce screamed over to her, "But you said you could do manual!"

A sarcastic and scared smile spread across her face, "I lied?!"

-

Over form Bryce, Max and Elisa, a good fifty feet over, Charlie watched in fear as the massive crowd of Infected charged toward her and Jhon who stood still screaming on top of the small watch tower. She then saw the old World War II Jeep speeding toward them, swerving from left to right. The Infected were too close. They wouldn't make it in time.

"Shite," Jhon said leaning over the railing and looking down to the many Infected below.

Quickly, he grabbed Charlie's arm and moving her in front of him, pushed her into the watch tower. Quickly, he locked the door and grabbing the microphone that sat on the desk, wrapped the long cord around the door handle. There was a sudden boom and the door convulsed, the large window to their left cracked as the strong Plexiglass began to slowly give way. It didn't break. Charlie stood terrified as Jhon worked on barricading the door. The large window was almost entirely covered with Infected, their bloody hands and faces pressed up against the glass. Jhon took old of the girl's arm and jerked it toward him.

"Come on," he said.

The two ran up another small set of stairs and onto the roof.

-

From their positions in the jeep, Bryce could clearly see two figures up on the roof of the watchtower madly waving their arms and yelling. Bryce shaded his eyes from the sun to see if he was somehow incorrect because, if evarything fell out correctly, they were not suppose to be there.

_Oh Jesus, _he thougth seeing the two more clearly now,_ it is them._

Bryce began to panic. _This isn't the plan - this is __**not**__ the plan!_

In the original layout of their get-away, the two 'decoys' were suppose to be on the balcony, not the roof. The car neared the tower. Bryce's eyes widened at the amount of Infected cramming into the small building. There were at least sixty outside alone.

"Elisa, I don't think they can do it!" Bryce yelled over to her, "They might kill themselves if they try-"

"Don't worry," the girl said, now getting the hang of the driving. She shifted gears, "I trust Jhon,"

-

Jhon suddenly stopped yelling and turning to Charlie, "When they come close enough, we're gonna jump,"

Charlie looked at him in fear, "But we're too high now, how can we jump-"

The sound of Infected marching up the stairs came loudly through the top entrance. The door shook as they repeatedly hit it.

"Here they come,"

-

"Okay everyone," Elisa said clutching the wheel.

Max gripped onto the door and Bryce tightened hs seatbelt. Infected began turning away from the tower and running towards them.

"Hold on!"

Bryce grabbed onto the door handle and bracing himself screamed at the top of his lungs, "Holy shi-"

At that second, Elisa sharply turned the steering wheel, swerving the car and sending it into a fast drift. Four Infected ran head on into the car, one rolling over the hood and windshield, one shooting into midair, flying over Max's head and the last two, sliding under the car.

At that second, the balcony door burst open. Jhon quickly grabbed Charlie's arm, "Now!" he yelled then leaped off the edge of the roof.

The two went flying through the air. If by intense planing or sheer dumb luck, they managed to have jumped at the perfect time and hands parting, hit the car. Charlie landed roughly into the back seat parts of her body sprawled into the front seats. Jhon on the other hand, didn't land entirely on the car. With a loud bang, the tall Scot hit the trunk and began to slide back, his leg now dangling off the back side of the car. Quickly, he grabbed onto the seats in front of him and getting a good grip, held on for his life. Elisa then turned the wheel in its opposite direction, putting the car back into a straight line and shifting gears, sped off towards the roar, the Infected trailing behind them. Jhon climbed into the car. Everyone cheered.

"That's righte yew mother fuckers!" Jhon yelled back to them.

Max helped Charlie into a sitting position and adjusted himself to fit Jhon in as well. Elisa shifted the gears to a slower pace and they turned onto the highway.

"Jesus Christ," Max started leaning back, "I think I may have just shit my pants,"

Everyone laughed.

"By the way, that was some shit-crazy driving right there Elisa," he added.

"Thanks," she smiled, "But I think the one we should be really thankful of here is, Bryce, " At his name the boy looked up in surprise.

"Yeah," Jhon said from the back seat "Without yew, we'd never a' found this ol' piece a' junk,"

The Scot then reached over and ruffled the boy's hair and oddly enough, Bryce felt almost touched. Jhon was almost never nice.

"Oh yeah," Charlie then spoke up. Everyone turned to her, "Where did you learn how to start up one of these things any ways?"

Bryce paused thinking then said, "General knowledge,"

Elise was unimpressed, "Oh come on now, something like that isn't just 'general knowledge',"

The young man put both hands into his lap and played with his thumbs,

"The tele,"


	5. Day 9

**DAY 9**

Holy shiz-nit its been a long time!! Like what... two or three weeks?? Sorry about that:P Any-who, Everything is finished! (my busyness I mean) I got all my dance, dance exams, grad trip, graduation, dance recital, dance competitions and school out of the way and I can now WRITE LIKE THE WIND! WHOOT! I also made this chapter long just 4 yallz. XD(but really, sorry about the wait:P)

**Jan Lee you are my official hero! Thank you sooooo much for putting up with me and my terrible grammar!! (the beta of the year everyone, she is THE best, not the best, THE best) XD**

Enjoy!!

Bryce was awaken by a sharp pain coursing though his head as the cramped and old car bounced roughly on the road. Interestingly, moments before while he was sleeping soundly, the jeep hit a pot hole, sending up a slight jolt and causing the young man's head to hit on the hard steel door of the car. He cursed under his breath and then lazily sat back up to readjusting his seat belt.

It had been a day since the small group left the cursed airport, stopping once for the night in a small clearing off to the side of the road for sleep and cover. Although, none of them got even the slightest wink, because of the fear that if they were to fall asleep, Infected would attack. Luckily, throughout the night, not one Infected was seen, leaving only the quiet rustle of the trees and bugs around them. It was quite maddening, for at every sound they would all jump, ready to run towards the car. Even to the slightest movement each was on edge. Bryce recalled a time when, turning over to resume a more comfortable position, he found one of Jhon's knives pointed to his face, its sharp edge inches from his right eye.

He yawned, the sound of his exhale droned out by the loud crashing of the wind on the jeep's flat and boxy shape.

Reaching over to look for his seatbelt, Bryce suddenly froze. Slowly, he turned his head to the side, looking down. There beside him, breathing quietly against his shoulder and sleeping soundlessly, was Charlie. Her light brown hair whipped around her small face as the car drove on down the highway. Bryce relaxed and eased back into his seat, still gazing at the girl. Slowly, he reached a hand up and placing the outside of his fingers onto her face, gently caressed the sooth skin around her cheek. He smiled. The feel of her warm skin on his sent chills running up and down his spine.

"Oi, you awake back ther Bryce?" Jhon then said suddenly.

Bryce quickly dropped his hand and turned his gaze to the tall and handsome Scot sitting in the driver's seat, pretending nothing had happened.

"Uh-yeah?" the young man answered back.

Jhon, who was currently sitting in the driver's seat had a look of exhaustion plastered onto his face. The group had awoken quite early that day-a good two hours ago-and Jhon, insisting that he was quite capable of driving, took Elisa's shift, allowing the woman to get a decent one or two hours rest knowing full-well that he, in truth, was not in the condition to drive at all.

He rubbed his eyes.

"Pass me some a' tha' ther Pepsi, will ya?" he finished, reaching an arm back and holding out his hand.

With a small sigh of relief, Bryce quickly bent down, searching through a small white plastic bag. There was hardly enough food left to last them a day.

"We've only got Tango," he said sadly, still rummaging through the bag.

"Ah, good a-bloomin'-nuff," Jhon sighed. "As long as it keeps meh awake 'ere, it'll dew." Then he reached his arm back over his head.

Bryce, placing a hand under Charlie's head, lifted it slightly and taking the can of pop into his hand, reached over and handed it to him. Jhon took it and one hand still on the wheel, opened the can with his teeth, a small popping sound echoing out. He then took a large swing of the drink and shaking his head, returned to driving.

"Thanks fer tha' lad."

Bryce sat back into his seat and looked out over the door to the sea green before him. How long it's been... he thought. It had been only a week or so since the Infection broke out and even now, Bryce was feeling its weight. Its effects were visible everywhere the group went and even if he could not see it, he could feel it. Feel the cool chill of death run up his spine, the pungent smell of the dead bodies of those killed, the cries and screams of people forever ringing out in pain and agony... He then tilted his head back and gazed up into the blue sky. Even it seemed to glow with an erie tinge of red. Bryce closed his eyes.

Never again was he going to attend a safe school. Never again was he to walk down a street alone and unafraid. Never again was he to do even the simplest of things like ride a bike, watch TV, go to the store or even just be free. Live his own life as he intended. Be able to once again promenade proudly down the streets of London knowing that he was safe. Another thought came to mind: there was also the material things. Bryce was never to receive that I-Pod he had constantly asked for. Not a game console, new clothes, his new Puma cleats or a BigMac from McDonald's. It was in truth, all gone with the large and very possible chances that they may never come back. He frowned deeply.

"Yew miss it tew, don' ya?" a familiar voice then asked.

Bryce opened his eyes and not removing his gaze, gave a small nod. "Yeah."

Jhon let out a cold chuckle. "Me tew."

There was a short silence between the two, Bryce did not know what to say. He did not want to say anything.

"Soo mehni thins 'n life-" Jhon said suddenly again, "-soo mehni times-I've taken it all fer granted. I always just new it was gonna be ther'-and fer a while, it always wuz. But naw with the Infection..." he grunted bitterly, "I's awl gon."

Bryce stayed silent for a moment, then brought his head back up to look over to Jhon. Bryce could see the giant black rings encircling the man's deep blue eyes through the rearview mirror.

"You're from Scotland, no?" the young man asked.

"Yea," Jhon answered, a slight longing in his voice. "Wuz bein' schooled down 'ere for my medical degree."

"Medical degree?" Bryce asked a bit surprised, "I never knew,"

"Well lad, ther's a whole lot of thin's ya don' know a' me,"

He ran a hand through his tattered brown hair. "Did yew know tha' I was headin' fer mi Masters? I was gonna be a surgeon-was gonna save people's lives. I'm twenty-five and I was goin' to graduate this yeahr. Finish off mi med-school then 'ave eight more yeahrs in surgical school." He laughed again, "Fuckin' surgical school! Does that even mean anythin' naw? I mean look at meh Bryce, no ones gunna remember meh, not one soul. Fer all that I've worked fer-that any bloody blokes worked fer. Might as well be a-a...," he paused, racking his brain for the right word, "a figment. A damn delusion in ar imaginations,"

Bryce watch the man's knuckles turn white as his grip on the steering wheel increased, "Ten yeahrs a schoolin' an' I can' even save a damn soul."

Elisa shifted slightly in the front seat, causing Jhon to immediately stop talking.

Bryce swallowed hard. He'd never really thought about the lives of... others. Every day he lived on, only thinking of himself. Of course he and his family would occasionally donate the odd 20 or 50 pounds to local charity, "Saving the world a penny at a time" and everything, yet the thought seemed to escape him that there were other people out in the world leading their own lives. He was not the only one. He saw them, talked to them, made friends with them, but again, he never really thought anything of it.

Bryce felt bad for pitying himself when there were some many more people suffering. He did not mean to do so intentionally, and he knew for a fact that he was not the only one who felt the same way as he. They just seemed to be running the race of their lives, and they were all losing.

Suddenly, as if karma striking back, there was a loud sputter and the old jeep began to slow. Jhon looked around wildly.

"What's wrong?" Bryce asked concernedly.

"Shite," Jhon yelled out, awakening everyone in the vehicle. "Wer' out-a gas!"

Charlie's eyes fluttered open just as the words 'out' and 'gas' floated into her ears. Looking over, she noticed that her head was rested on Bryce's shoulder and that from the obvious pain in her neck, she had been as such for a long time. Face reddening, she slowly sat back up, hoping not to disturb him.

Having had felt the sudden lightening on his shoulder, Bryce immediately turned, seeing Charlie move from her position. For a moment then, their eyes locked, sending jolts of electricity up his spine. He smiled sweetly. She returned the kind gesture.

From beside the girl, a loud moan was heard through the jeep. Bryce then looked past Charlie to the messy and red lump slouched deeply into the seat, hood up to hide his face and messy brown hair. Max's hand shot out, gripping onto the head of Jhon's seat and with great effort, pulled himself into a sitting position.

"What's goin' on?" he asked with a slight slur in his voice.

"Wer' out'a fuckin' gas," the Scot growled.

And the monster that was Jhon was back.

Sighing, Max unclipped his seatbelt and leaned further into the front half of the jeep. "Damn," he started, "We're just about on empty..."

"No shiteeSherlock',"

Hearing the childish saying escape Jhon's lips made Bryce almost want to laugh for he knew that a fight was coming on.

Charlie rubbed her temples and shook her head. She was not in the mood to stand by and watch the two older men shout it off with another row.

"There," Bryce quickly said pointing to a large and broken billboard sign. It read: _Speedway Gas._

_Of course, _Bryce thought, _Me again to point out the obvious. _

_"_A gas station?" Max inquired, "Are the pumps even working?"

Jhon picked up speed and raced toward the small white building, "Yew behter pray they ar'."

--

With the jeeps last bits of gas, the old war vehicle rolled slowly into the dive way of the gas station, stopping directly beside a pump. Quickly, jumping out and over the car door, Jhon made his way to the large black machine, pulling out the red pump. He stuck it into the car and pulled the lever. Everyone sat in silence, not a single person daring to move. Jhon loosened the grip on his fingers and once again, squeezed the handle. Still nothing.

"Come on," he grumbled and shook the pump, "Come on,"

Nothing.

Bryce braced himself for the worst and as if his thoughts and expectations were answered, the worst came. Jhon then ripped the long funnel out of the jeep and threw it onto the ground. It hit hard against the cold steal of it's stand, a loud 'clang' ringing out into the morning air. The angered Scot began then to cuss heatedly in Gaelic.

"_Jibbag_!" he screamed out, moving around the car and kicking at the ground.

"Oi! You cut that out now!" Max yelled at him from the jeep.

Bryce restrained himself from reaching over and giving teen a good hit over the head to knock him out for another good hour or so. All they needed was another row to see who could scream the loudest, for at this point, he seemed to have a fair idea who would win.

"We don't need you attracting all them Infected!"

Charlie shrank down into her seat, covering her ears. Jhon turned on his heel and screamed as loud as he possibly could, "You shut the fuck up!"

Max jumped out of the car and advanced on the man, "You can blood fucking curse all you want, but you won't do it at our expense!"

"Yer expense?" Jhon countered, "yer expense? I risked my life fer yer fickin' arse back at that ther' airport. If not fe me and the gurl, we'd all be dead yea little bastard so don' yew dare fer one second talk 'bout wut I did or didn't dew-"

"If not for my plan, we'd-"

"If not fer yer plan, we wouldn' be stuck in the middle a bud-fuck nowhere!" Jhon yelled over the boy's voice, towering a good six inches over Max's 5'10 frame.

Bryce looked away in shame. Not the shame of his own, no, for shame of Max. By looking into the his eyes-just by the sheer look of his eyes, Bryce knew Jhon had won. Never once had Bryce met a man who could make anyone feel so small and so... powerless. Jhon seemed to adapt a 'presence' when he was extreamly angry. An almost overpowering aura that would make even the strongest of men cry.

Bryce turned at the cool touch of Charlie's hand on his. A look of hurt was pulled onto her pale face.

"S-Stop," the young man's voice suddenly cracked, "the both of you, s-stop,"

Opening the car door, he climbed out and walked over to the two men. They stared each other in the eye. Bryce placed a hand on each of their shoulders and pushed them apart.

"If it's anyones fault," he paused, taking a breath, "it's mine. I'm the one who pointed out the jeep."

Everyone was silent. Bryce balled his hands into fists then re-opened them, his palms sweaty and cold. "Me, Max and Charlie will search around in the gas shop for some food. Were running out and we all could use something to eat," he stopped again and began leading Max toward the building, "We might find something, you never know."

Bryce pushed the older teen while urging a silent 'go' as he walked. With one last hate-filled glance, Max whipped around and stormed off into the store. Jhon watched after him and once again kicking at the ground, slummed back to the car.

--

It was dark and cold within the small shop, the only light coming in through the large windows in the front, and the freezer doors broken, allowing the cold within to seep through the holes in the glass. Bryce watched as Charlie moved to the back of the store, and Max made his way behind the counter to search through the clerks's desk. It was silent. Moving to a large cork-board to his left, Bryce took hold of a light crow bar, the words 'Handy Man' engraved into it. Bryce swung it from side to side, testing it's grip. _Handy indeed, _he thought.

From there, with his new weapon in hand, the young man turned and made his way back to inspect the front of the shop, grabbing a bottle of looked to some type of flavored water in his hands. He opened it and stared out at the pumps. There, in the jeep sat Elisa, eyes pinned on Jhon, slender arms crossed over her chest. The entire time, she had managed to stay silent and watching, the same blank expression on her face.

Bryce took a drink of his water.

Suddenly, she said something, causing Jhon to turn to her and shout something back. Bryce could not make out what they were saying for he was too far away. Slowly, the woman got out of the jeep and walked, pointing toward the gas station as she did. Jhon turned back around and threw his arms up into the air, Elisa reached out and catching one as it fell back down to his side. Speaking as she did, she turned him around, easing her hand down to his and taking it in her's, rubbed the inside of his palms. Jhon let out a sigh, a hurt look on his face. Elisa shook her head and touched his cheek. Jhon nodded and in defeat, dropped his head.

At the other end of the store, Charlie passed across the length of the large freezers searching for food. Sadly, all that was left was rotting hot dogs, more muffins and pop. Looking around, something shiny cough the girl's eye and bending down, she made her way to inspect it. Glass. She frowned, Just more broken glass. Dusting off her hands, she placed her hands on her knees and stood. There was a small 'bang'.

"Crap!"

Charlie fell back down to her knees clutching at her head. Quietly, she cussed under her breath. _Leave it to me to hit my head on something. _Moving a bit to the side, she slowly sat up and looked around. It seemed that no one had noticed her small accident. Both Bryce and Max were staring out the window intently. Sighing, she turned back around.

_So your it, eh?_

There in front of Charlie siting on the wall was a large red box with a glass cover. Inside was an axe. When first seeing the tool, Charlie immediately stood and opened the box. A weapon. Nine days earlier, the girl would have seen it as nothing but an axe, something used to chop open locked doors or break down windows in the time of an emergency. But 'these days', with Infected running around and her life on the line, all it was good for was self defense and to dismember body parts.

Reaching in, Charlie took the axe in both of her hands and pulled it out. Immediately after taking it out, she stumbled forward, it's heavy weight pulling her down. Quickly, she regained her footing and got a better grip on it. _Heavy bugger aren't you, _she thought eyeing the axe, _well I bet Jhon wont mind using you. _True enough, Charlie wouldn't mind using the thing herself but with it's sheer weight and size, she'd only insure herself a quick death. She would have liked protection, but she wasn't stupid either.

Charlie looked over to Max. She could always give it to him, he was tall, older and strong, more tan capable to whiled the weapon. And Elisa, she too was strong and tall, why not her? Charlie only shook her head and made her way toward Bryce. The axe belonged with Jhon, that much was for sure. Charlie couldn't say, but giving him the axe made her feel more safe. Well, not as safe as she felt when she was with Bryce.

"Look," she said.

Bryce jumped and turned. Charlie stood two feet from him, a large axe in hand. She held it out to the young man, "Maybe Jhon'll like it. Better than carrying that awful knife of his," she leaned over and grinned, "And maybe it'll calm him down. All we need is another row from those two,"

Bryce looked at the axe and then back up to Charlie, "and that thing," he motioned to it, "embedded in Max's head."

He shook his head and grabbing another water bottle off the self, offered it to her. She nodded, "Thanks," and took it from him.

Together, they stood and watched Elisa and Jhon as they conversed out in the yard. The two seemed to get along.

"That was a brave thing you did out there," she said to him, not taking her eyes off from the scene, "your knew right to do that."

A light blush crept onto Bryce's face. He smiled half heartedly. "I spoke to Jhon in the car earlier, while you all were sleeping," he started, motioning to the man, "He's really not as bad as he seems, he's just frustrated I guess-with the Infection and all. Who isn't I mean, it hit us so damn hard."

Also, Bryce knew but did not want to say, Jhon was angry for the loss. They were so close to what could have possibly been safety, but yet again, fate cheated them out and placed them back to where they were, square one.

Charlie shrugged, "True," she said then nudged the young man, "But I do wish they'd stop fighting."

The two laughed.

"Oi!" Max then yelled, "Mates, come over here! Come on! Hurry!"

Looking toward the counter, Bryce saw Max waving an arm at them while playing with something under the counter.

"Get the others," he told Charlie and she ran to the front door to fetch them.

Bryce made his way to the counter and gripped the crowbar in his right hand. Max sat on a tall wooden bar stool, fiddling with what looked to be some ancient form of tape recorder in his lap. Bryce walked behind the front desk and stood beside him. Jhon, Elisa and Charlie came charging.

"What's wrong?" Elisa asked.

Max quickly snapped in the last battery and closing the small hatch, he flipped it over, placing it down onto the counter. Bryce made his way closer to the small box.

"I've found a radio and I think I might get it to work," he said excitedly.

There was a small gasp through the group and they huddled in closer together, eyes glued onto the plastic black box. If Bryce was correct, having a radio meant broadcasts and not just any boradcasts, new reports, updates-anything. Just anything on the Infection.

Out of the corner of his eye, Bryce watched Jhon sneak closer to Elisa. Slowly, he placed on hand on her shoulder, peering over her 5'10 frame.

"Hey Elisa," Max then said suddenly. He sounded almost angry. "Come over here and hold this will you?"

With a nodd, she quickly moved behind the desk and taking the radio from Max's hands, lifted it slightly. Bryce could almost see the holes Jhon was burning into the other man's head. He rolled his eyes, _Pansys..._

Slowly, the quiet sound of static filled the shop. Bryce began to impatiently shake his legs. For a long moment, Max played with the dials, surfing the channels. He'd go back and forth switching from AM to FM, checking for a sign then finding nothing, restarted the process.

"Ther's nothin' on," Jhon complained, the silence killing him. "Everyone's gone Jesus, so jus' put the radio dawn-"

"No-Shhhhhhh!" Max hissed, taking Elisa's arms and bringing the radio closer to him.

A voice was heard then once again got cut off. Max took up the radio in his hands and raised it into the air, moving into various positions.

"To any-" more static, "_Re-mai-ing survivors--there--evacuation--meeting--" Max stepped up onto the counter, "The St. Jhon's Middle School in Manchester. Planes will be arriving in the next few days to evacuate England almost completely if at all possib-"_

The line then died almost completely and everyone stayed silent. Max slowly climbed down from the counter and placed the radio back up onto the shelf from where he had found it.

"Weer' gonna go," Jhon then said, "we 'aff tew."

Max turned to him, "But Jhon, it'll be night by the time we get there. What if we..."

Jhon shook his head, "We had a plan," he started looking to each one of them, "And that plan isn't gonna woerk anymore. It's still real early in the mornin' and if we start walking naw, we should make it."

Everyone was silent, Bryce looked over to Charlie, she seemed to like Jhon's plan and form the looks of things, Bryce was beginning with him as well He looked to Max who was silent beside him. He looked down to the counter and balling his hands up into fists, sighed and nodded. For once Max did the smart thing and backed away because like all of them, he too knew that this was their last hope.

"Ok," Elisa then said stepping up toward the counter, "we leave in twenty minutes, so everyone eat up and pack as much as you need," she paused and looked to each one of them, "We don't need any extra weight slowing us down."

Slowly, everyone broke off and went their separate ways in the store. Bryce watched as Charlie quickly gave the axe to Jhon. He watched him swing it back and forth and seeming happy, reached down to grab his long knife. That, he decided to give to Max. Muttering his thanks, the man walked off and Charlie came over to Bryce.

"Come on," he said, "I'm starving,"

--

When everyone had finished eating, they all quickly took up their own bags and packed them lightly with water and light snacks. Bryce finished packing a few more packaged sandwiches and crackers and then looking back one last time to check if they had forgotten anything, he turned and made his way to the front door. There Charlie met up with him and the two walked out to join Max and Jhon. The two stood as far from each other as possible.

"Elisa done yet?" Max asked, shading his eyes from the bright sun.

"She went to the washroom I think," Charlie answered.

He nodded. They all waited in silence. Bryce's eyes fell upon the jeep and frowned. If the tank had been full or the pumps working, they would be just an hour from Charlie's camp. Just an hour form sleeping in a real bed. He rubbed once more at his eyes and scratched his head, giving himself a good shake before the long trip ahead. God only knew, he was going to need it.

As soon as Elisa was finished, the group quickly made their way down the road.

--

It had been good nine hours since the group left the gas station and looked to now be around 7:00 PM, the sun slowly setting off in the distance. It was apparent that everyone was beginning to get a bit antsy and paranoid, especially Max who jumped at almost every unknown sound. Elisa stuck closely to Jhon and Charlie a little ways behind Bryce. The young man on the other hand was antsy for another reason entirely, he just couldn't wait to get to the safe haven.

Stepping lively, the five made their way quickly through the dirty streets of Manchester. Many of the tall buildings were deserted and like the airport, a cold and erie silence filled the air. Charlie shivered and edged her way closer to Bryce. She had always been the risk-taker, the brave one. Why, at a birthday party held by one of her friends, she watched _Hannibal_ for the first time and from then on, it became her favorite movie of all time. Charlie almost wanted to laugh. Now, she herself was trapped in her very own horror film with real-life cannibals.

"Okay," Jhon called out, pulling the group into a alleyway, "five minute break. We'll be ther in abou' ten minutes I bet."

Everyone nodded and collapsed onto the cool cement road. They had been keeping up a very fast pace all day and hadn't stopped once yet. Charlie leaned against a wall and placed her hands on her knees for support, hanging her head down.

"You ok?" a voice asked form her right.

Charlie looked up to see Bryce sitting on the curb beside her. He had a worried look on his face.

"Fine," she smiled and pushed him slightly with her right hand, "I'm fine-"

Charlie paused, looking down into the black alleyway. Squinting, she placed her hand onto Bryce's shoulder and squeezed it. The young man looked up to her and gave her an odd look.

"Charlie?" he asked, placing a hand on hers. Jhon, Max and Elisa looked over to the girl.

"Shh," she quickly hushed him.

At the end of the alleyway, there was a large black doorway, the door to it, hanging off its hinges and leaning harmlessly against a dumpster. It rocked slightly. Bryce stood and walked cautiously toward it.

"Bryce," Charlie warned, but he shook it off and proceeded to proceed.

Stopping only a good ten feet away from the opening, Bryce looked back the rest of the group and returning his gaze to the doorway said calmly, "Hello?"

At that very moment, a body dropped form the black doorway, falling at the boy's feet. Bryce jumped back and fell onto his behind. Two bloody hands snapped out of the black, taking each side of the door frame and slowly, a head appeared, face down so that no one could see it.

"H-Hello?" Bryce stuttered again.

Shooting it's head up, the man opened his mouth and voiced a mighty and blood curdling cry.

"Infected!" Elisa screamed. "Run! Run!"

Quickly scrambling back, Bryce jumped up onto his feet and took hold of Charlie's arm. Frantically, he broke out into a sprint with the entire group following closely behind. The once quiet streets of Manchester now rang out in the horrifying and ear splitting screams and cried of what sounded like hundreds of Infected. Making the mistake to look behind him, Bryce's eyes fell upon the dozen or so Infected trailing close behind them. The young man felt his knees go weak and stumbling, fell behind the group.

"Bryce!" Charlie screamed, a panicked look on her face as she stopped to look back at him.

Bryce watched Elisa take hold of her arm and pull her away, almost dragging the girl in the right direction. Bryce looked back once again and seeing the Infected but only a good fourty feet away, regained his sprint.

Quickly, the group made a fast right and ran into what looked to be a tight underpass. Suddenly, like a flash of light, something took hold of Jhon, Elisa and Max, pulling them into an open doorway. Charlie screamed. Bryce looked over to see her being dragged into another door opposite side to the other in the underpass.

"Bryce!" Charlie yelled to him reaching out.

"Charlie, no-"

At that moment, a strong pair of hands took hold of Bryce's sweater. With a sharp tug, they pulled him into a small and dark doorway. The young man was hurled onto the cold and hard cement, head hitting the ground. Hard.

"...Charlie?" he called out.

The young man then contracted as something heavy fell onto his chest and knocked the wind out of him almost completely. Disoriented, he looked around widely, unable to speak. _What's the hell is happening?!_ It was too dark, so dark that Bryce could not even see his hand two inches from his face. Or atleast, what he thought was his hand.

Again, his face came into contact with something hard and fast, flipping him around onto his other side. Wildly he waved his arms around, attempting to fight off his captors and praying to God that he'd die a quick death.

Another strong blow came down onto his chest, then another and another until Bryce could hardly move. _Oh God..Charlie, where is..she... _The thought of her lifeless and mangeled body laying distorted and bloody filled his thoughts. He had to get out of there somehow.

Wincing the young man prepared for the next hit, yet nothing came. Bryce opened one eye slightly and thinking it was over, relaxed. The sound of Infected running past the door filled the small room. _Are they gone? Where did they go?_ Bryce couldn't decide weather to cry out in happiness or scream out in pain.

"Char...lie?" he called out again, voice lower than a whisper. Hoarse. The young man could already taste the hot and thick taste of blood in his mouth.

There was then the sharp sound of scraping metal against the cement floor. It shot into Bryce's ears followed by a sharp and hard pain rushing through the right side of his head.

Black.

--

_Jibbag_ - Fuck(Gaelic)


	6. Day 14 part 1

**DAY 14**

**part 1**

"_Looking back, I have this to regret, that too often when I loved, I did not say so."  
-- David Grayson --_

"Lights out everyone," a hushed voice said over the massive crowd.

The quiet sound of rustling sleeping bags filled the large room as one by one, candles were blown out leaving only the lingering smell of smoke and ash. Only five or six were left burning. Charlie shifted in her place against the wall and bringing the ratty blanket up to her face, quickly whipped away the small tears rolling down her cheeks.

It had been five long days since the group had been taken into the school, along with the hundreds of other survivors. Apparently there were many other safe houses stationed all across England and also a few in Scotland, taking in hundreds if not thousands of people - them, attracting their attention by their on radio boradcasts and rally groups set every few miles form the camps. To them, this was new news and they were all quite surprised. It was amazing what humans were capable of when pushed into a tight corner.

Slowly, the girl lowered herself down onto the cold floor and rested her head against it. Rubbing her hands on the smooth tiles, she dully recalled the feel of Bryce's skin under hers, his old and dirty cotton shirt shifting under the weight of her hand as she moved to switch positions. She closed her eyes. His warmth found her then, the throbbing drab seeping through him and holding her, never wanting to let go. Charlie let out a small sniffle.

Like a moving playing in her mind, she watched the parting sceen over and over. Where she, Max, Jhon and Elisa were taken into the school, and Bryce... Charlie cringed at the thought. She watched in horror as she reaclled the events that took place that horrible day. Screaming and kicking as Elisa pulled her away, her eyes unably to pry loose from Bryce as he was dragged away into a separate room. Infected-men, she could not tell. To her, they all now looked the same. A jumbeled maze of faces and death, nothing but sheer fear enveloping her even as she tried to drag her way back, Elisa only pulling her harder. Unable to help him, unable to save him, unable to do anything at all but watch as he was about to get killed. She ran for her life.

It was what Bryce would have wanted, really. Again the girl suppressed a cry. _Just keep telling yourself that,_ a voice said over and over, ringing out in her head. _Just keep telling yourself... _

Oh who was she fooling any ways? Who? Bryce was her friend, a good and compassionate friend. He was someone who cared about her and all she was able to do was repay him by what? Saving his life? Again? No. Instead she left him to die.

_Just a friend? _

She thought the question over. Charlie had never really... 'liked' a boy before. She always found them useless and a waste of time and space. Something that distracted her from her goals and her schoolwork, something that made her spend money for useless reasons, something - she frowned. To keep it short, she just didn't have the time. But, she then reconsidered, there was Bryce.

She laughed silently. He was tall and funny, kind, open-minded and well, hot. After she saved his life, Bryce in truth, saved hers and became her savior. Sure, he was sans noble steed and sword, but there he came. Popping out of nowhere, in the end, saving her from her solitude. There, he brought her food and drink, also providing her with conversation and friendship. Trusting her, he led her to his group and gave her shelter and safety.

She shook her head and squirmed, trying to regain a comfortable position. No, dead is what he was, dead and gone. Charlie sighed... There may have been something there, something small if anything, but something was there. Note: there _was_ something there. Not anymore... not ever again...

She closed her eyes, her brother's face appearing in her head. _If only he was here, he'd fix things... _she suppressed a cry. _My brother, Mark... I want my brother..._

--

Elisa watched in the dim light of the gymnasium as the young girl drifted silently off to sleep. Serenely, she leaned over to the young girl and wiped away her tears. Sitting back, she grimaced.

It had been five horrible days now that they had been trapped in the hellish school. Of course, Elisa was grateful that they were able to find the sanctuary - by the sheer dumb luck that they had made it this far - but trapped in the terrible gym for almost a week? Hell, pure and simple. Red and burning hell.

In the days before the Infection, she was to attend none other than Julliards: a famous music school in America, aiming to recieve her Master's. If things had been as they were and gone as planned before the Infection had hit England, she would now be achieving her dreams, not rotting away in an elementary school gym.

She looked around. Almost everyone in the room looked to be asleep, but she knew full well that they were not. Or at least they were 'drifting': floating between the light cloud of sleep and consciousness, dimly aware of the things, voices and people around them; their brains taking a minor recess, still watching. Waiting.

It only made her all the more sleepy. It caused her to yawn and rub at her sore eyes. All she seemed to want to stare at for the past few days was the brightly painted signs plastered across the many rows of royal blue mats lining the walls. 'St. John's Middle School,' they read. Banners and messy drawings were hung and taped randomly throughout the gymnasium, giving its guests an almost false sense of security; as if things were still happy and 'normal'. Of course though, they weren't and everyone knew that. Especially Elisa.

_Just one day too late, _she thought, frowning. In the airport fourteen days ago - the event that led her and the group to their current status - Elisa was not there to try and escape. No, she was scheduled to catch her plane to New York and then from there, to her college. But, as fate had it, that never happened. And judging by the crowd, it hadn't heppend for them either.

A good four-hundread heads occupied the gym, most male with the few odd females. This, she found interesting and also, surprising.

Seeing as how she was a woman herself, Elisa really just thought that there would be more - not to be blunt in any way, but she just _expected _there to be more. Each day, she saw so many people and faces that she never knew and never thought of _needing_ to know, but now... _Maybe there're more in the other shelters_. Even with the high possibility - no. Even with the_ fact _that millions of other women were scattered all across England, there was always the slight chance that maybe, just maybe, many could not have survived.

Suddenly, she dropped her arms and buried her face in them. "Fuck." Her hands muffled out the curse.

It was madness. Judging by the experiences of her group and the overall look of everyone there now, it was more than likely that - although she hated to say it - there was a greater chance of men surviving than women. There was no way in hell that all those women (and men) could have out-run the Infected, not to mention the possibilities of then being _infected_ themselves! Why, she alone barley scraped by. If not for Jhon, Max and the others, she'd surely be dead.

_I wish- _she bit back a cry. _Just be thankful you're un-injured and alive Dunstan, it's a bloody fucking miracle for that._

There were many here who could attest to that. For example, even now the familiar smell of blood floated into the woman's nose. Following it, her eyes fell upon another woman in her late thirties, both legs held tight together in front of her, her one arm wrapped in a torn and old t-shirt. Just another of the many injured within the facility.

To their surprise, Elisa and the group were amazingly some of the few to first arrive at the school. It was then that soon after them and in the days later did most of the school's other occupants arrive in the shelter.

She and Max had been recruited to help carry in the injured or with heavy lifting for atleast twenty or thirty of the four-hundread coming throught the front door could not walk or move. Jhon on the other hand, was sent to aid those who had to came in hurt or sick. Her Bachelor's may not have been in the medical category, but she did know first aid and was able help him with the less serious injuries like cuts or scratches. Nohting compared to what the Scot was put to face. At the present time, he needed all the help he could get.

So far, the worst injures she came by in the past few days were broken limbs, nasty cuts and a very large gash to one man's head, oddly resembling that of_ Edgar Rice Bourrough's, Tarzan_. It almost made her want to laugh; that is, after she finished vomiting in the washroom.

Most of those who came in were either unharmed, scratched and bruised or just shaken up by the many events that had happened over the past two weeks. Paranoia, fear and regret. That today was what was considered normal_._

_Also..._

Elisa thought, gaze shifting to the sleeping girl across from her. The group had suffered a loss of its own recently. One of the boys, Bryce, was taken by Infected on entry to school those five days ago. It was... saddening to a point for her. Unlike Charlie, she hadn't come to know or really talk to the boy as much as the young girl had.

True she had known him longer, but never once had she tried to speak to him _personally. _He was always just _there_, just like the rest of the world was before the Infection and now, along with the world, he was gone. But, what disturbed Elisa the most about Bryce's death was that even now with him gone, she felt... nothing. She did feel a small sadness for him and maybe even for herself, but all in all, she could have really cared less.

She reached up to her chest, placing her hand over her heart. Her fist closed tight. _Is this...regret?_

--

Jhon laid silently on the cool floor, both hands tucked behind his head and his ankles crossed. Opening one eye slightly, he looked over to the woman sitting not five feet from him.

Elisa.

To this day, that woman was still a mystery to him. Of course he did know a bit about her-as far as disorders go-but beyond that, nothing. Sometimes, when no one was looking, he caught her doing some pretty weird things; playing pretend instruments, singing to herself and even conducting. This made him wonder sometimes, but he never asked. Everyone here had their baggage, so he had no right to go and ask about hers.

_Baggage. Huh. _That was a word Jhon knew all too well. He carried quite a bit himself and not much of the normal type. He frowned.

Five days now they had spent in the school, five long and tedious days in the stink. It sometimes made him want to throw up; the smell of it all. Sweat, blood, vomit, bile and body odor all mixed together in a thick and pungent cloud of musk floating about the gym. He cringed.

Being one of the very few in the building who knew anything about treating the injured-not to mention the most _qualified_-Jhon was immediately put to work on the hoards of people coming through the front door. Day and night he made his rounds: changing bandages, checking and sewing wounds and much more. Being a graduate of medical school, Jhon enjoyed the work, why, he loved it! But being here in this gym surrounded in this enviornment... it drained the energy from him. Like attending a funeral: even if you wern't feeling that bad, seeing all those people sharing one common feeling of sadness and anger-it really washed him out. But, he had to admit, playing doctor _did_ had it's perks.For one,it took his mind away from England's current 'problem' and put him to work at something he was good at. Something he enjoyed doing.

Jhon, amazingly, was also quite surprised at himself. With some brilliant stroke of luck, he managed not have one single temper tantrum while here. Why, ever since he was able to string together whole sentences and hold conversations, Jhon was a purebred Alfa male. There was nothing else to it.

As a child, he would always take control and be the leader of every activity and thing he came across. Be it football, polo, basketball, school plays, groups and even his grade 10 math club, he was at the top. It came naturally to him and he really just couldn't help it. When he wasn't in control of the situation, he got _**angry**_, and not the normal type either; it was explosive. Jhon felt a bit ashamed and embarrassed that his companions were forced to witness his temper outbreaks. Seeing Elisa's lot, it made even_ him _consider going on pills himself. That is, if he could get any from now on.

Averting his eyes, Jhon tilted one foot off to the side and grimaced. There, sleeping soundly under the thick shadow of his hood, was none other than Matthew: the nasty little brat that had been the object of Jhon's fury for the past two weeks._ 'E deserves it, the littl' cunt._

There was always that odd feeling Jhon would feel when ever looking at the younger man; like a cold chill running up his spine when his shadded blank eyes turned on him. They always seemed so dark and...

Jhon couldn't place his finger on it. And like he would always say, what he didn't know, he didn't trust. He wondered if that was the reason he'd never yet opened up to the boy-the trust factor coming into play.

_Could_ he really trust Matthew? Sure the boy had saved their asses many times now with his _plans _and _findings_, yet still. If the time came for it and Jhon had no other choice, would he be able to put _his own_ life in the hands of _that_ cock sucking prick? Not just another escape plan, but truly and plain out _rely_ on him? The Scot rolled his eyes and sighing, turned onto his side. _Fat chance. _

"So you can't sleep either?"

With a small jump, Jhon looked up, locking eyes with none other than Elisa. She stared at him, her giant eyes droopy and glazed. Dark circles rimmed them from days of deprived sleep and malnutrition. She looked washed out, completely and utterly drained of everything within her. Jhon gave a lazy smile and propped his head up onto his hand, leaning against his elbow.

"It seems as much."

She gave a knowing bob of the head.

He watched her. Elisa was, more or less, a very beautiful woman. She was tall and thin but not as much as to be called skinny. No, she was perfect-like a Victoria Secret's model but with smaller breasts and a more girl-next-door-ish look. He'd still pick her any day though he mused, smirking a bit.

"What?" she asked, a small smile playing on her lips.

Jhon merely shook his head and sighed, wanting to laugh. "Nothin', reahly. It's nothin'."

"Hm." She shook her head.

Silence fell between them. Shifting positions on his hand, he looked up to her. Elisa stared blankly at Charlie, the little teen they had picked up from the airport. She was asleep.

_Bryce_. Jhon watched as Elisa's perfect mouth began to thin into a straight line, its corners dropping slightly as she began to shake. Her brows then knitted together and slowly, her eyes began to fill with tears, wet, salty tears.

"He's gone, Jhon. I can't believe he's actually..." Her voice broke.

"Oh noo, don' say that,"

Jhon sat up and wrapped his long arms around her, allowing the woman to cry into his chest. Her nails dug into his shirt as she emmited long and painful cries that were silent except the ever quiet sob and exhale. Like someone dying. It made him want to cry himself.

"I couldn't do anything," she sobbed. "I couldn't do anything at all!"

"None of us could, love. Shh..." he said as he attempted to soothe her, brushing her tangled hair.

Jhon had almost forgotten about him-or really, had almost succeeded in forcing himself to forget about the boy. It was no time to linger on the past, but to push on and to do so, he immersed himself in his work and duties; anything to help the memory fade, anything.

A mental image of him sitting across form them now passed by Jhons eyes. Bryce was a good kid through and through. He was a bit hard to understand at times and a bit on the quiet side, but Jhon had grown to like him. He was a person and he was there-right there with them through it all and by some sick twist of fate, was the first to be... killed.

For all that it was worth, Jhon didn't think Bryce deserved to go that way. Not by Infected. No one did, not one soul. Not one. Jhon felt an ever familiar sting rush into his eyes.

"Why him, Jhon? He was still so young,"

_Fifteen... jus' fuckign fifteen._

Still shaking, Elisa raised her arms and wrapped them around his neck loosely.

_"I'm so scared."_

Like ropes breaking in his mind, Jhon suddenly snapped and tightened his arms around her, smothering Elisa and burrowing his head into her shoulder. Tears erupted from his eyes.

_This whole time, _he thought crying, _this whole time and I nehver even... I couldn' even say it... I-I-_

"Me too," he confessed.

_"Me too..."_

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **First off, I'd like to give compleat and absolute credit to Jhon's totally awesome motto of life to my beta Jan Lee. When correcting my work, she just randomly improved that little saying as a suggestion and HOLY MAN- I am in LOVE.

Jan, you are my hero. (Quote: What he didn't know, he didn't trust.) ACK! I love it! Thumbs up 2 u gurl!!

Also, I'd like to say sorry for the extremely long wait. I was really busy. No Joke... Oh. And just to burst yallz bubble, no. I'm not on a role. I know what I'll be doing in the last few chapters, but-I wont be writing them up any time soon. I've got two straight weeks of intense dance camp coming up and I don't have even a moment to spare! So, wish me luck!

- In advance, I'd like to apologize for saying 'cock sucking prick' in the third section to this chapter. If it offended anyone reading this story, I'm very and truly sorry. It was sincerely only meant for the pure entertainment and fun of calling my character Max a bunch of colorful names :P

**THANKS FOR READING! WOOT WOOT! **


	7. Day 14 part 2

**DAY 14**

**part 2**

Eyes barely opened on the quiet and harsh spin of voices. Legs enclosed like a steel cage, hindering him from any movement. The beating had stopped and he could now breathe easy; rasps to be more precise.

Blood, everything smelt like blood; his own blood.

The talking quickly stopped as the screeching sound of the Infected's cry filled the small room. It stoped.

Silence.

_Help,_ he heard himself say.

"Holy shit, he's just a kid!"

He tried to look up, but was unsuccessful. They began to argue, their voices swirling in and out of his battered ears.

One bent down into his line of vision. "Don't' worry, we'll get you out of here. What's your name?"

Did it really matter now?

_Where's Charlie? _He attempted to say, the only thing audible: her name.

Bent over, the man took him under the arms and slowly, lifted him off the damp floor.

Blackness.

--

Eyes opened. He blinked, his head lolling to the side as it came to rest on a bony shoulder. His dead weight was hauled on the back of another as someone carried him through a dark and musty alley way.

Others ran along side him and his carrier.

_Where are we going?_ he wondered. _Where am I? _

"Almost there," a tiered voice said, straining to speak.

Blackness.

--

Eyes attempted to open.

A deep and cold abyss of absolute darkness floated all around him. There was no noise, there was no sound. Just the thick and foreboding fog of nothingness threatening his every move. Pulling him closer to the edge of what seemed like a bottomless pit.

Doom.

His doom. His demise. His death.

And he could feel it; so close now, as if it were touching him. Gently caressing him, skin cold like ice; burning. _Could this be... Hell? _

He cried out in pain.

The all too familiar sharp and metallic scent of blood wafted in and out of his nostrils, playing with him. His stomach lurched.

Attempting to move, he yelled out again, his back contracting and his arms flailing.

_So much pain..! _He screamed in his mind.

The throbbing hurt quickly spread over his body like flames, white hot and engulfing him whole.

_I feel like my insides are... they're... _

"Sleep child," a voice said suddenly, slipping in thought all of the confusion. It was soothing and soft, like the sound of a harp playing off in the distance. Slowly, he relaxed, the pain ebbing only slightly. His eyelids twitched, struggling to open.

"Sleep and get some rest," the voice urged once again.

It was female, a woman's voice.

"Please don't leave me!" he managed to say, his words sounding like nothing but gurgled murmurs.

_No, don't go, don't leave me..._

"Sleep," she said again, "Sleep."

He resisted, trying with all his might to fight the fast approaching veil of sleep. He tried to sit up. A warm hand fell on his shoulder, pushing him back down.

The stranger seemed to speak to him again, but he only a heard a quiet whisper. He could hold it back no longer.

_But I don't... want to... go..._

Blackness.

--

_Figured didn't it? Just fucking figured. _

_Jhon, the tall and handsome Scot, swooping in on his fucking little horse and saving poor little Elisa, the beautiful damsel in distress from - from whats that you say?_

_From her-fucking-self. _

Max snorted, eyes hidden under the shadow of his hood. Just watching the two of them over there: crying... made him sick.

Why, if anyone, it should have been_ he _who got the girl, not some playboy doctor with bipolar mood-swings and a long over-due visit to the anger management center.

Max glowered in disgust. He watched as Jhon stroked Elisa's back, calming her down as they both cried into each other's shoulders_. _

_I'm the one who saved our sorry asses in the first place!_ Every time it was me! _Every time!_

In an odd and really, well... _technical_ way, Max was indeed right.

It was he who saved the group all those times.

True, it had not been his actions which provoked the group's safety, but was his ideas and his brains. Two weeks spent running around the airport after the Infection break-out, and Max was the _first_ one to find the plane.

After everyone evacuated the aircraft, it was he who entered and he who ushered Jhon into safety. There, he watched Jhon's ego grow to the size of his mommy's fat ass. Max hid and watched as the Scot decided to run around calling people in, thus finding Elisa, but oh-no, not before sweeping her off of her dammed feet and carrying her in!

He fucking _carried her in_! True, she was bleeding, but that was besides the point! It was his idea to leave the damn plane! Also at the gass station, Max had found the stupid radio and even fixed it! _He_ was the one to thank for getting everyone here to safety. Max Roberts. Not Jhon the crazy-ass doctor.

Well, he really wasn't surprised. Angry, but not surprised.

Jhon was everything a girl like Elisa could have wanted: rich, good-looking (ha-ha), smart; basically everything that Max wasn't. What would someone like him give to someone like her anyways? What could Matthew Dylan Roberts give to Elisa? A cold plate of Mac and Cheese and two movie tickets to see the _Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings_ maybe, but besides that, Max was all black and white. He was attractive sure, a head above the most really - but leave it to Elisa to stereotypically to fall for the _tall_, _gorgeous_ and _oh-so _strong;

Jock.

Then there was the kid, Bryce, and his little girlfriend Charlie. They were... all right in Max's eyes. They never gave him much of a problem and even once or twice, had the nerve to back him up.

The two were... cool. But as how everyone had their faults, Bryce could be a bit annoying at times-his teenage mood swings kicking in every now and then. But he did help Max out a few times and he was grateful for that.

Pfft.

Too bad he was dead.

--

With a jolt, Bryce's eyes shot open, the cracked and murderous sound of his screaming voice filling his ears. Jumping, he startled came up into a sitting position. A sharp stab dug into his back and stomach, causing him to double over in pain.

_Where am I?_

Where was he, was indeed the question. As far back as he could remember, he and the others were running from Infected toward the school when... when... Bryce paused for a moment, his ribs crying out to him.

_That's right,_ he then remembered, _but how am I still alive?_

He looked around. Even the slightest turn of his head made him cringe

Bryce was in a small room with one metal-post bed and a small side table. A sickening yellow/green wallpaper, darkened to a foul shade vomit over the years covered the walls.

In one corner was a small wooden bench with an empty glass of water and a medical kit sitting on it. Beams of light managed to seep in through the wooden boards nailed to the window, Bryce watched as millions of thick dust particles floated about the room. They made him want to sneeze.

There was also a slight scent that oddly resembled that of a hospital's; like clean sheets made of tissue paper and antibiotics. From what he could tell, it looked like it hadn't been used in months-years even.

"So you're finally awake," a someone said from the doorway.

Bryce's head shot up, ripples of pain falling down his back.

There, stood a tall and lean young man about Bryce's age, leaning against the door frame. He had curly dark brown locks that sat neatly upon his head, shading his brown eyes. He stared at Bryce expressionlessly.

"Who're you?" Bryce finally said, breaking the silence.

His visitor stood straight and brushed the hair out of his eyes. A eyebrow cocked arrogantly. "Someon who saved your bloody ass, is who."

Bryce bit back a retorting comment. _Who is this guy?_

Sighing, the other boy shook his head and carelessly pushed the few items off the stool. They hit with a small, _'thunk'_, falling onto the warn wood floor. He pulled it over toward Bryce's bed side.

"I'm Kevin, by the way." He wiped at his nose. "Not that you'd remember anyways."

He sat down, rested his elbows on his knees. "You were half dead when they brought you here."

"They?" Bryce asked. Could he be talking about the Infected? But that was impossible - unless they had dragged him all the way here when he had blacked out... but still...

The young man gave a slight nod. His lips pursed, and he motioned out the door. "Yep," he said simply. "Harry and George. There's about five of us here."

_Five people huh?..._ It reminded Bryce omit of something important, but for some strange reason, he couldn't place his finger on it.

"After nearly beating you to death," the young man continued, "they noticed you weren't Infected and brought you up here-"

"You telling me you're the ones who nearly _killed_ me?!"

The stabbing memories of the beating surged. The blunt force of their weapons, the cracking of his bones, the piercing blows that continuously rained down, over and over, thrusting the air from his lungs and suffocating the very life out of him. He could still feel it.

Bryce felf a rush of boiling anger rushing over him. He was _pissed_.

"Well yeah-" the young man began, but was cut off.

"What the _hell_ were you _thinking_?!"

"_Hey_! It's not _their_ fault that they thought you were a bloody _Infected_, mate, and hell, you're lucky they didn't leave your ass there to die." He quieted omit as he spoke.

"You're alive. So be glad for that."

Bryce rolled his eyes and turned his head, his hand coming up to his sore neck. He gritted his teeth as the tips of his fingers ran over the rough dried scabs and bruises that littered his skin. There was no mirror in the room so he couldn't further examine his wounds, and on a second thought, he was almost glad for it.

_If only Charlie could see me now..._

His eyes shot wide open. _Charlie!_

"How about the others?" he asked suddenly.

The young man gave him a confused look.

"People, I mean, there were other people with me…running. Did you take them too?"

He saw that spoke so fast, Kevin could hardly keep up wiht him. "Oh," he finally said, "They went and got away on us."

"And they're okay though, right?"

"Ha, yeah. They made it to the that school down the street. Thar refuge something-or-other." Bryce let out a sigh as Kevin continued. "Lucky those Infected didn't get their hands on 'em."

That was a relief. For once since he had woken up, Bryce was actually happy. Even the pain of his injuries seemed to dull. It felt so good to know that the people he cared about were alive and safe.

Bryce didn't know what he would have done if the group had died. Especially if Char-

"So Charlie," Kevin cut through his thoughts, snapping Bryce from his trance.

For a brief moment, Bryce was speechless. He couldn't think of anything to say in response. He felt a puzzled look cross his face. _Did he just call me...? _

"Charlie. That's your name, right?" An eyebrow cocked. "Every time we tried asking for your name, it's all you'd say: 'Charlie'."

Bryce blinked. An image of the beautiful girl's face popped up in his mind, her giant eyes glowing. Charlie...

While he was in his slight coma, Bryce must have been dreaming for his group and their great escape. His last memories of them, screaming out the girl's name as he was dragged away into darkness. Darkness with these people...

On impulse, he said:

"Yeah, that's my name."

The name, carrying no symbolic meaning, was purely intended as cover for Bryce's real name. True, he cared for Charlie a great deal, but for now, he knew she was safe and was at the moment, concerned for his own well being. But still...there was just something about these people. He barley knew them - how ever many there were, two? Four? Eight? Nine even? This new Kevin guy didn't give out anything about him and that of his group.

In the past two weeks, Bryce learned to trust his gut instinct, and at that very moment it told him something, and that something was _very wrong_.

"Charlie eh..?" he reached up, his hand stroking his chest just above his heart.

"Huh? What was that mate?"

Bryce looked up sharply and attempted a small smile, his cheeks screaming in protest. "Oh," _shit, _"nothing,"_ my face, _"at all." _Shit._

Kevin stood there for a minute, a quizzical look on his face. Bryce only prayed to the holy Lord above that if he was listening right at this very moment and maybe by some amazing stroke of luck - be it pity, even - he'd make the kid across from him drop the subject and _shut his mouth_.

Bryce's smile only widened, a confused look on Kevin's face. He began to get aggitared, his patience with this new young man so streched that he was on the verge of snapping.

"Huh." Was all he said then shrugged it off, ruffling his hand through his hair once again.

Bryce had to stop himself from letting out a sigh of relief.

"So," he began not knowing exactly what to say, "what are you-"

At that moment, a tall and thin woman barged into the room, hands on her hips and an angry scowl on her perfectly shaped face. She looked to be in her mid thirties and wore a surprisingly clean pair of tight-fitting blue jeans with an equally spotless light pink top. Her long blonde hair was pulled tight up into a high ponytail, its curly waves swaying lightly against her back.

Both boys turned to her, her eyes falling on Kevin.

"And what the hell do you think you're doing in here, eh?" she snapped at him.

From where he sat in his bed, Bryce watched in wonder at the odd argument developing in front of his eyes.

She frowned. "I thought I told you not to bother him.

"He was already awake when I got here," Kevin whined. "Jeeze, Mum."

_Mum? _Bryce thought,_ those two don't even look remotely related!_ Well, besides both being tall and lean, their eyes were the exact same color and shape. Maybe they were...

"That's just fine then." she said sarcastically, taking Kevin by the arm and pulling him up, "but we need to let our new guest here have his rest after what Harry and the boys did to him." She smiled over to Bryce lovingly.

This made Bryce feel, for the first time since that day at the airport so long ago, a strong yearning for his parents. He was amazed that even now, he hadn't thought or even missed them once. With all the action happening around him, he managed to forget about them. His _own_ parents.

_But I didn't...forget? _

"Fine," the other boy sighed and stood. He tugged his arm from his mother, somewhat embarrassed. He moved off behind her rolling his eyes.

"Good." Her smile grew as she spoke to Bryce. "Now you just lay down there. With all that happened to you-" she walked over to him, gently pushing him down and pulling the bedcovers up tightly, "you'll need as much rest as you can get."

Kevin snorted.

"_Kevin_," she snapped.

"I'm going, I'm going!" Kevin threw Bryce one last smirk, and exited the room with one small wave.

Kevin's mother sighed. "You'll have to excuse my son. I guess you could say he got a bit excited…seeing as how it's older folks here. Being around someone his own age would do him some good."

She made a show of looking around to see if no one was listening and then leaned in. "Although," she whispered conspiratorially, "living in this house with the same old farts for over two weeks...can make one go a little crazy."

She made a face, clenghing her jaw and widening her eyes.

Bryce had to laugh with her efforts to lighten his spirit; even though they were half-hearted and really not that funny at all, she was trying and he appreciated it.

Giggling, she stood and dragged back the stool to replace it omit. Her giggle turned to a sigh of exasperation, as she bent for the glass and bandages Kevin had lazily discarded on the floor. She wrapped them up in one hand tucking them under her arm.

"I'm, Elizabeth, by the way."

Bending down to him once more, she ajusted his sheets then sighed. "Don't worry love, it'll get better soon. I promise."

She exited the room.

As soon as she left, Bryce closed his eyes taking a deep breath. What was he to do now? He could barley walk on his own as it was.

And the others? Charlie, Jhon, Elisa and Max? What about them? Would he ever see them again-at all?

At first he had found himself dreading the long hours of each day - wondering, waiting, terrified of what would come next - and now? If possible, he would give anything to just experience that once more. With them, his group.

They were people he trusted, people he could rely on. People like Charlie.

He turned onto his side, shaking his head of all thoughts.

Something was coming and it was coming soon. Be it tomorrow, the day after or even a week from now, it would be there and he would find his way back to them. He knew it, he just knew it.

--

**AUTHORS NOTE:** Holy fack your mommy!! Talk about long enough to put a chapter, jeeze... it took me like what? Two months and a half?! Even I'm angry about that and if I were you, I would be too! But, also very happy because I was nice enough to finally finish this chapter and post it 'cause I've come across some authors on fanfiction and man dose it grind my gears(haha! Family Guy :P) Any-who-I'm rambling -- I am very very mary larry harry sorry and hope(no promises!) that the next few chaps will be comin' out more frequently.

**THANK YOU SO AMAZINGLY MUCH - LIKE YOU DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAAAANNND!! JAN LEE, I CAN NOT BEGIN TO EXPRESS HOW FREKIN CRAZY YOU ARE CHILD... OLDER CHILD... You are the best Beta in zee world and I am VERY thankful to have you! XD THANKS !!**

- On another note, I'd just like to explain my oddly long absents. You see - well, technically you read(hahaha) - I've got a schedule that could **kill** this year. I dance monday-thursday 4-10pm no joke. Plus, I have homework and school. Not the best of combinations, but it works and I love it. It was also my birthday on the 26th of September!! Horay, I'm finally 14! XD (randoommmm)

Thanks for reading yallzzzz!!

and don't forget to review!!


	8. Day 15 Evacuation part 1

**DAY 15**

**Evacuation**

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** Here is chapter 08 everyone! I hope you enjoy it!

**Super-d-duper tanks to Jan Lee, official super beta! (Sorry Superman, dude, you just totaly got shown up and I'm not even counting how much Batman owned you...) YOU ARE AMAZING, WOMAN!! Tank's for correcting my work and for all the good laughs, again, you made my day!**

**(rest of note at end)**

_---_

_Blood was everywhere. _

_On the walls, in stores;_ _the thick clumps of regurgitated gore hurled out of the Infected's bodies at projectile force were strong enough to knock a grown man off of his feet._

_It was disgusting, covering the piles and masses of bodies scattered across the floor like some collector's skin carpet. It dripped off the carcasses, its stench unbearable; vomit mixed with the all too familiar metallic smell. It wafted up from the floor, heated by the frantic hoard of people running around._

_It didn't matter who it was. Mother. Father. Sisters. Brothers. Everyone was on their own now and fighting for their own lives. Including Bryce. he too was all alone_.

_Running, tears streamed down his face; his breath broken and sharp. The tortured memory of his mother and father pounded in his mind, urging him to go on without them. His hands throbbed at the painful memory as they were forcefully ripped away from that of his mother's. Yelling, he was unable to fight back as he was swooped away with the flow of the retreating crowd. It was madness._

_Hearing the strangled cries of the Infected, he quickly sprinted around another sharp corner of restaurants and stores._

_' Where are the exits?!'_

_No matter where he turned, everything was blocked off. Gates were pulled, doors jammed, exits that were once there had disappeared..._

_' Where do I go? Where do I go? Where do I-'_

_Within seconds, his feet slid out from under him, his arms flailing in the air, attempting to save himself. He had hit a patch of blood and was sent flying to the ground, hard._

_With a splash, he landed on his side covereing himself almost compleatly in the sticky red substance._

_Disoriented, he stood, the room spinning and shaking uncontrollably. He looked at his hands. Blood. Panicking, he began to hyperventilating. It was on his hands and his face. It soaked through his clothes and onto his skin. All over... Bryce ripped his jacket from him._

_He ran._

_---_

The sound of rustling feet woke Charlie. She opened her eyes, rubbing them as two men carrying a cot walked by her.

_What time is it?_ she wondered sleepily.

Slowly, stretching her arms and legs as she did, she girl sat up and wrapped the large old blanket around her shoulders. She rubbed roughly at her eyes, the pressure of her hands hurting her swollen and puffy eyes.

_Oww... I feel like crap...._

With a exhausted moan, she dropped her hands and collapsed back onto the wall. She leaned her head against the hard, cold bricks.

Across from her-to her amazement-there lay Jhon and Elisa, tangled in each other's arms. His arm was around Elisa's waist tightly as she curled into his embrace, her fingers interlaced with his free hand. Charlie had to admit that she wasn't really surprised that something like this happened between the two, but it was really more of a shock that it_ managed _to happen so fast. She smiled to herself, thinking, _Cute._

She was reminded suddenly of a certain black-haired boy, and she felt her expression change. _Hm... Bryce._

She closed her eyes tightly and balled her hands into fists within the blanket. _I won't cry, I won't cry, I won't do it, I won't-_

"You awake?" A voice then said suddenly.

Charlie turned sharply.

Max lay with both of his hands tucked behind his head and his ankles crossed in front of him. His hood was now down so that Charlie could see his face. He looked... _angry_.

"Oh," she said, a bit flustered, "it's just you."

He stared at her for another long moment then yawned, brushing the hair out of his face. There wasn extended silence. Charlie felt extremely uncomfortable. She had never really tried talking to Max... ever.

"We leave today, don't we," he said, noticing the few dozens of people packing and readying themselves.

Charlie nodded, a choppy and fast movement. "Yeah, e-evacuation."

There was another long and awkward silence.

She looked over to Max and was about to say something, but bit her tongue immediately.

She followed his gaze. No -scratch that- not gaze, _death glare_.

Charlie watched in worry as Max's eyes, which instead of watching her or the room, were fixed intensely on Elisa and Jhon who laid together there across from him. He seemed to watch the two with a burning hatred while silently they shifted, Jhon's arm encircling Elisa's thin waist even more tightly.

Charlie watched wide-eyed. Max stood and turned to her, glaring down at her with the same intense hatred.

"Give me your blanket," he demanded, stretching a hand out.

Hesitating, She reluctantly removed the raggedy cut-square of material; the cool air of the gym made her shiver.

"Come on, now," he urged, reaching down to pull it from her.

Taking it from her hands, he angrily rolled the blanket up into a ball andpulling it back, hurled it at the two. It hit them both hard in the face. From underneath it, Jhon gave out an angry and tired groan and shifted uncomfortably. Elisa stretched out slowly, her entire body going ridged and shaking until finally, she dropped back down onto the floor like a rag doll.

"Wha'?" Jhon asked lazily, flipping the blanket up just enough so that only his eyes could be seen from underneath it.

Charlie only shook her head. _Not me,_ she motioned, _Max._ And pointed over to the man who stood to the left of her.

Jhon let out what sounded like a low growl and rolled his eyes, turning sharply to Max. He cocked a brow in annoyance and snapped, his words uninterested and slurred, "Well, wha' d'yew waont?"

Max only stood there for a short moment as he stared at Jhon.

"Get up," he said choppily. "We're leaving soon."

With that, he turned on his heel and shoved his hands into the pockets of his sweater. Max trudged away out the gymnasium doors.

Charlie bit the inside of her bottom lip and turned to Jhon, who had a questioning look on his face. She simply nodded with a sad smile. The Scot groaned and rolled his eyes once more.

"Wake up," he whispered softly from underneath the blanket as he shook Elisa.

The woman's muffled voice came then as her body turned to face his in an angry protest. Intimately, they cuddled, Charlie imagining what exactly they could be doing underneath that blanket.

She stood. This was too much for her eyes and ears in the morning. She wasn't in the mood.

---

Elisa waited in anticipation as she stood, foot tapping impatiently on the concrete pathway in front of the school. It still felt odd to be outside in the open with all the many Infected still running around. But still..

She looked around, taking to note the hoards of people emerging from homes and buildings and crowding in the streets, also out in the open. They were all heading to the same place as Elisa and the group: towards wherever the military were taking them.

And yes, that was right, the military,many small groups of them; covered men, all equipped with guns and loud screaming mouths. Nothing was more frightening then to have three or more men yelling at you at the top of their longs while carrying fully armed and loaded weapons. She shuddered as she watched two of them kick down a door and rush inside. This was too surreal.

"Hurry up!" she called through the window, knocking on it.

Inside, Charlie lifted a finger, motioning to just wait one more moment. Elisa sighed and angrily lifted an arm pointing to her wrist. 'Hurry up,' she mouthed again.

Really, Elisa could not even understand why they were taking so long to pack up and leave seeing as how they had nothing to pack up in the first place. They had come here with only themselves and whatever was on them, what else could they possibly be bringing now? They all had to start over anyway, why should things be kept from the past? It made no sense to her_._

"Sorry," a voice emerged from the door as it opened suddenly.

Elisa turned, slightly angry.

"What took you all so long?" she asked Jhon as he came up beside her, shivering in the cool morning air.

"The lineup fer the shitter was brut'l."

Elisa rolled her eyes "You're just lucky that their water system still works," and gave out a heavy sigh as Max and Charlie emerged as well from the school.

The young girl came to her side.

"Okay," Jhon started, "seein' as how we're all 'ere naw and jus' abou' ready to leave this place, we've got some groun' rules fer yew all tew follow..." His expression immediately turned serious and hard.

Max rolled his eyes and took a deep breath in.

"No one," he stressed, as he gesticulated, "and I mean no one is tew leave the group for any reason what-so-ever. We all need tew stick togetha if we wonna make it thru thus in one piece. Agreed?"

Everyone nodded their heads in agreement, especially Charlie, who clung to Elisa's arm now as if holding on for her dear life. Elisa could tell by the girl's horrid expression that she was afraid -_terrified_. Elisa felt her heart go out to her, she was not the only one who was scared. Not at all...

"We need to get going," Max spoke up, looking out toward the street. "If we're lucky, we might be able to get a ride."

"Hm," Elisa grunted, thinking of their options.

But, the very few cars that were open to civilians that were not military were already taken and were also speeding by at alarming rates. She knew that anyone who had a vehicle and half a brain would be smart enough to not even _remotely_ consider stopping for fear that they would be overrun by hoards of desperate people begging for a ride... even if it meant killing the people inside the car. Either way, their odds weren't for the better.

"Maybe," she said, "for now, we walk."

At a steady pace, they made their way through the cold streets. The overall objective of the evacuation was to basically _get the hell out of England no matter what the cost_. It was really the best they could get now...

After all, most of all the airports had been destroyed. Even if they would manage to get one up and running, it would make no difference. The crowds would finish themselves off perfectly fine without the help of any Infected. She had already gone through that once. she had no intention to do so again.

When they had finally reached the highway, Elisa, who was at the front of the group stopped suddenly. Her eyes grew wide. Everyone behind her did the same.

"Jesus..." she whispered.

There, as far as the eye could see, was an ocean of traffic. Cars of every shape and size moving at a snail's pace in an attempt to get out of the country. The loud sounds of car horns could be heard for miles around.

Elisa let out a great sigh and placed a hand on her hip.

"This is ridiculous," she exclaimed.]"Damn happy we didn't catch a ride now, eh?" She joked smiling whirily over to the group.

Jhon pushed past her, laying a hand on her shoulder then resumed walking.

"Come on na', we can all speculate once we get our arses out in Drover."

"Wha...?"

Elisa ran behind him to catch up, Max and Charlie following close behind.

The group began to panic all at once, questions shooting Jhon's way.

"Drover?!" Charlie said, clearly panicked.

"What? Why the hell would we want to go there?" Max said over her.

"Drover? That far?! When were you planning to tell us all this?!" Elisa finished, practically yelling in his ear.

Jhon glanced back at her for a moment but continued walking. "Yes, _Drover_."

"And what about Charlie's cabin? She said that it would be safe-"

"It'll be safe ther fer a few months, yeah, but nout for the entire duration of the Infection," he shot back. "Frum Drover, we cahn try and catch a ferry-if we cahn-through the Strait and into Calais."

"And if we can't find a ferry, which I highly doubt we can, what will we do from there? _Swim_ across the English Chanel and _into _France?!" she snapped back.

"I agree with Elisa," Max said from behind the two.

Charlie nodded as well.

Elisa could tell that Jhon was beginning to get frustrated with her. This plan out of all they had made was by far the most idiotic. Walking all the way down to Drover, not to mention the countless cities and towns they would be passing: Harlow, Brentwood, Dartford, Strood, Chatham - the list went on and on! It was absolute suicide! With that many large cities and towns, there were bound to be hundreds of Infected. Thousands, even!

Elisa reached out and took hold of the Scot's shoulder, bringing him to a stop. Jhon whirled around furiously and stared down into her eyes. Elisa stood her ground and jabbed a pointed finger in his face.

"Do you want to get us all killed?" she demanded.

A hard and hurt expression dropped onto Jhon's face like a brick. He stepped closer to her, his voice lowering dangerously.

"We've got'n thus far, no?" he said, pointing down to the ground and shifting his weight. "Drover is ar only ticket out of 'ere. We live on a fucking island out in the mi'dle a' bud fuck nowhere, alrite," he paused, "there is nowhere else to go besides Scotland, which I suspect is Infected tew." He paused again for breath. "We need to get out a' here Elisa, we caunt stay in England. It's tew dangerous."

He stepped back from her, his gaze drifting to the other members of their party.

"If yew waont, you can bloody well die 'ere for all I care but if yew're wi' meh, yew're wi' meh. Once we get tew Drover, yew can go where ever yew waont, I don' give tew shits…but for naw... we stay together."

He stepped back again, and slowly began walking. "I woan't lose anyone else...not this time."

Suddenly, not fifty feet ahead of them, a loud crack rang out and without notice, a car veered and rammed into the side of another car. Charlie and Elisa screamed, Jhon and Max stumbled back.

"Holy fuckin' cack!" Jhon yelled, chest heaving from the scare.

"What the hell was that?!" Max said, equally startled.

The four immediately froze in their places.

Twenty yards ahead of them, a green minivan sat smoking. Its entire front was crushed completely into the side of a small car which was slammed between two trucks like sandwich meat. People from the surrounding area immediately began getting out of their cars, trying to see what had just happened. They scrambled towards the crash.

"A car crash... just an accident I guess," Charlie speculated.

Elisa watched, a puzzled look on her face. _A crash? _she thought._ How could there be a car crash in this traffic..._

"Hm. Must be nothing," Max snorted. "We should keep on going."

As everyone began walking again, Elisa stayed put, her eyes locked on the scene.

"You guys, I think we should wait..." she said, uncertainly. "Something isn't right here..."

Max grunted, "Oh, don't worry, it was just some shitty driver who couldn't tell the break from the gas."

Elisa's hand shot out and grabbed Max's arm in protest. "I really don't think we should-"

Screams broke out from the crowd. People began to scattered, more emerging from their vehicles to see what had been holding up the traffic.

Elisa glanced around. _What was going on? _She thought, everyone's horrified expressions making her panic.

The alarming crunch of metal immediately drew her attention.

She watched in horror as the van's driver shot out the passenger-side door, stumbling on his way. Blood ran down the side of his face and hands, his clothes covered in the hot red liquid. Tripping, he fell to the ground, his back contracting and his head shaking violently. Getting off his hands, he dug his fingers into his thighs. Vomit erupted from his mouth.

"Jhon," Elisa whispered and moved up, taking Charlie's arm and pulling her back towards her instinctively.

Her heart began to race, the anxiety in her chest building at an alarming rate. Her hand tightened around the girl's wrist, pulling Charlie with her as she began to back up. Her face was screwed up into a frightened and confused expression.

"Jhon," she said louder.

The man's head shot towards the sky and from his throat came the most un-holy sound on the face of the planet. A horrible high pitch whail sucking the air out of their lungs.

Around them, the sound grew louder, resonating from the surrounding trees lining the highway. Elisa's blood ran cold.

More screaming.

_"Infected!"_

_---_

**OTHER AUTHOR'S NOTE:** Finalllyyyyyyyy!!! Due to a total lack of intrest and the amazingly addictive drug that goes by the name SPORE, I've benn M.I.A. for the past... idk... 3 months? HA! I've done longer! (yes, i understand, not something to be proud of, i knwo :P) This chapter was origunally longer but a certain BETA THOUGHT THAT IT WASN'T NEEDED! You even missed a sexy _sponge bath _scene with Bryce, HAHAHAHA!(insider) FUNNY! - but seriously. As far as dates go, no promises, but it should be comeing soon and yes, i will finish it because i don't intend to abandon the story.

thanks for readinggggggggg!!!!


	9. Day 15 Evacuation part 2

**DAY 15**

**EVACUATION**

**(part 2)**

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Sorry for the long--yet shorter than usual wait everyone!! Here is part 2 of Evacuation and I'll also be making a part three which should be coming out.... sometime in the future...

OOOO! I'm also thinking on the idea of starting a whole bunch of Gorillaz one shots with Murdoc//Noodle! Haha, I love them!! I've also being poking around the idea of a Sesshy//Rin story for the longest time --- I've got a whole bunch of parts for a story and a whole idea written up, I just don't know how I'm gonna pull it all together 'cause it's a really touchy subject and stuff---I'm also thinking on a whole bunch of Kino No Tabi and Kino's Journey stories AND ALSO!!!!! A really fun Justice League Batman//Wonder Woman story!!! We shall see!!!

**MUCH LOVE UPON JAN LEE MY AMAZING BETA!!!!!! HORAY!!! Happy Valentine's girl!!! Hope you have a good one and thanks a bunch for doing all this work for me!!!**

Well I hope you all liked this chapter and HAPPY VALENTINE'S EVERYONE!!!!! XOXOXOXOXOX Love you all a hole punch! haha XD

**PS!: **I dedicate this chapter to_**hWAT - clown**_for encouraging me to barf this chapter up faster!! Thank you so much for giving such an awesome review!! I really need it :P BIG HUGS!!!

----

Like mad men, they ran for their lives through the many cars crowding the highway. Infected ran close behind, screaming at the top of their lungs.

The Scot along with group made it as fast as their feet could carry them back into the city, a stampede of people following close behind.

Jhon's heart raced in his chest like all those other times before. Running. Always running. And from them...

He made a sharp turn around a small gas station which brought the group back to the school. People gushed out into the streets by the masses as the soldiers struggled to regain control. More screams.

Unstopping, he snaked his way roughly through the hoard of panicked people. The crowd grew tighter until he could barely jog. Looking back, he saw that Elisa and the others lagged behind him, struggling to keep up.

He quickly turned around and made his way back to them.

"Hurry up!" he yelled over the cacophony .

He reached to grab Elisa's wrist and yelled for her to do the same to Charlie and Max. Turning again, he resumed pushing through the swarm of people, an older man hitting him square in the gut.

Jhon winced.

The only thing worse than being chased by Infected, was being chased by Infected along with another fucking good 100,000 other people.

An exploding pop resounded throughout the street, followed by what seemed like the rapid fire of a machine gun. Jhon stopped immediately, his free hand lifting to shield his head. Charlie screamed. Gun shots! - they were firing at the Infected.

"Jhon!" The Scot heard from behind him. "We need to get out of here!" It was Max.

"Fuck," the Scot said, darting around frantically. The crowd continued to push and flow around them, the thick feel of fear and terror hanging in the air.

Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted an empty alley way that led straight toward another street. An exit.

"Come on!"

He tugged at Elisa's arm pulling everyone along.

Taking a deep breath, he shot forward and used his size to break free of the mob. As he hit the alley way, he dropped Elisa's hand. He sprinted, hearing the others follow, and stopped short. His breath was ragged and coming in short heaves. Sweat trickled down the sides of his face despite the cool morning air.

Cautiously, he peered out into the street beyond. It was no better than the last. People everywhere, screaming and running. He let out an angry growl and bit his bottom lip. _Now what...?_

"There!" Elisa said sounding frantically.

Jhon glanced back to the woman behind him. Her hair was more of a mess then he had ever seen it, chunks pulled completely out of her pony-tail. Her face was flushed a bright red and she breathed heavily.

She pointed out toward a large building just beyond the crossing lights. An office complex - no! - a parking garage! And on its fourth floor, an overpass that conjoined to the highway out of Cambridge.

"Let's go," Jhon said and once again, the group threw themselves back into the madness.

Compared to how it looked, this street was less crowded than the last, making it easier to maneuver around without the use of much violence. Jhon took the direct route to the garage, cutting through the crowd, instead of around it and made dammed sure to stay away from the houses.

In a sudden rush, the crowd around them picked up pace, their screams louder. Out of nowhere, an old white car came crashing through the hoard of people. Blood covered the hood.

"Move!" Max bellowed.

Jhon sidestepped. The car swerved by them, just barely missing him and went on to smash through whatever came into its way. This was madness!

A piercing screech came form the far end of the street, More joining in as a pack of Infected emerged in the car's trail. The were almost at their backs - were at their backs.

_Shite!_ he screamed in his head, heart pounding. "Keep moving!"

Now running, Jhon tore through the mass creating a pathway form the group toward the parking garage. Sensing them at his his heels, he kept going.

Getting to the crossing lights, Jhon stopped and looked back into the crowd for the others. Max emerged running to meet him, panting. Jhon looked around, still out of breath, searching every direction.

_Where was…? _

"Where's Elisa?"

--

Struggling to keep up with Jhon, Elisa pushed along four feet behind him and Max who had made it in front of her. She reached out to grab the younger man's sweater sleeve-

"Elisa look ou-" Charlie began to yell to her when-

Elisa was thrown to her left, the body of a man flying her way and knocking her off of] her feet. She lost her grip on Charlie's arm and hit the ground, head striking the cold pavement.

For a short moment everything went black, her vision faltering, although the loud sounds of screaming rioted around her. Struggling to get up, she tried lifting herself from the ground, her hands slipping under her as she was kicked in the stomach. Elisa could feel the dull throb of a panic attack slowly rising in her gut.

"Charlie!" she screamed out, searching in the blobs of people before their shapes blurred out. _Where is she - Charlie - she was right behind me - shit!_

"Charlie!" she screamed again. "Charlie!"

Suddenly two strong arms hooked themselves under her armpits and hoisted her up off of the ground and onto her feet. Elisa lashed out.

"Elisa! Bloody 'ell, it's me lass, Jhon! It's Jhon!"

She stopped immediately, his hand cupping her face and forcing her to look at him. Her eyes came back into focus, lips quivering.

"Where's Charlie?" There was a panic edged her voice that made her shaky and dizzy--on the verge of an atack.

Jhon's eyes grew dark and dropped his hand to her elbow. He began to pull her along. She repeated the question, but he said nothing.

"Oh, my God, she's still in there?! We need to go back and find her!"

"Elisa we have no time, I'm sorry!"

"No! We need to go back and-"

They were already out of the crowd and fast approaching the parking garage where Max waited impatiently.

"Jhon you cold-hearted bastard-"

He whipped around and tightened his grip on her arm. Elisa yelped and looked up to him, his face slack with the cold look of angst written all over him. Her eyes filled with tears.

"Elisa," he said, his voice stern, yet calm, "by naw, Charlie'll be dead - stomped out in the crowd, just like yew nearly were. Naw, if she got out, she's a smart girl - she'll come straight 'ere and if we don' leave naw,

we'll be dead soon tew."

His grip on her arm loosened, and he turned toward the parking garage, Max now shouting for them to hurry.

"Come on," he said and yanked her in the direction of the building.

She had no other choice. So they ran.

--

Elisa sprinted behind Max into the garage as they followed the twenty-or-so people up the concrete car ramps and onto second floor---then third, until finally, their destination was only meters away. Suddenly, turning her last corner, Elisa spotted two men at the top of the landing, one old and one young, pulling something--the gates. What are they...?!

"No!" Elisa screamed, her pace quickening as she forced herself up quicker, her hands reaching out.

With a bound, she leapt forward, sailing through the small opening that was left between the two steal gates and tumbled to the floor. She looked up quickly and reached towards the men in anger. "NO! You can't-"

There was a clang and a loud click. The gates were locked.

"Fuck!" she screamed.

The two men quickly ran off out of the garage and down the road with a group of others.

"Cowards!" she screamed after them. She leapt to her feet, crashing into the gate and pulling at the dark red bars in a futile attempt.

With luck, Max and she had made it through to the other side while Jhon - who was only behind them by a few seconds - was trapped on the other side. They were trying to cover their tracks so that no Infected couldn't follow them.

"Elisa!" Jhon yelled to her from the other side of the cold metal bars.

"Yew mother fuckers!"

"Max," she said, turning to him. His eyes grew wide. "Help me! Jhon is trapped on the other side!"

Max stepped back and shook his head. Genuine fear contorted his face.

"Max!" she yelled at him again.

He only picked up his pace, his mouth opening in a horrified frown. He began jogging backwards, raising his hands in apology.

"No!"

He spun and ran.

Elisa started after him in disbelief. Did Max just...? Yes, he had---had abandoned her and at the time when they had needed his help the most. Elisa turned in an angry rage and savagely kicked the steel gate with a scream.

"FUCK!"

"Elisa!" Jhon called out, grabbing her arm for attention.

"Elisa!" Jhon asked, face pressed to the bars. "Can you open it up?"

More and more people began to gather behind him, yelling and shouting. The gates rattled as they piled up behind him, pushing and shoving.

Elisa looked around frantically. There was no lock, she couldn't see anything.

"There isn't a lock anywhere!"

Grabbing them again, she shook them roughly. They didn't even budge.

"Automatic!" she said, voice breaking. "T-They're automatic! They lock as soon as you put them together, Jhon---I can't open them without a key!"

At that moment both Elisa's and Jhon's heads snapped up. A shrill voice rose above the crowd-the one word-the one word they'd wished they wouldn't hear-the only thing-the only fucking thing-

_"Innnnfecteeeed!"_

She turned back to him in panic and began ripping at the two gates again. Tears welled up in her eyes, the sound growing louder and louder. "No, no, no, no, no..."

"Shite!" Jhon swore, from the other side glancing over his shoulder and continuing to work at the gate.

_What can I do, what can I do, what can I-_

"There!" he yelled out, reaching his arm out through the bars.

Elisa whipped around. On the wall was a small glass box lined in yellow and black striped tape. Inside was a small red button with the inscription: Emergency Fire Open.

Elisa threw herself at it, clawing for the opening.

"It's stuck!"

No matter what she did the case would not open, nor was there an opening for it. Every fiber in her body screamed at her.

"Elisaaa!"

Turning, she took hold of a thin gray pipe attached to the wall and pulling it, wrenched it free. A thick sort of smog filled the room then, making Elisa cough. Gas.

There was no time. The screams grew louder and thickened in the air, like the gas. Her eyes began watering in desperation. _I wont give up!_

She launched it at the box, but its thick glass did not break under the light force of the plastic pipe.

No choice-

Wheeling back, she braced her left wrist with her hand and charged at it. With all her might she slammed her elbow into the tiny box, large glass shards stabbing into her arm. Pulling back again, she slammed her elbow down once more.

"Go, Elisa! _HURRY_!"

Hitting it once more with al her might, the last bits of glass flew out of her way as the end of her elbow came down onto the button. The sound of alarms rang out through the garage. Elisa fell back.

There was a loud click and the gates flew open.

Jhon's arms flew around her and hauled her up into a fast sprint. The two ran as fast as they humanly could out of the parking garage and out onto the overpass. Not slowing, they kept running, the sound of the stampede behind them as people flooded into the overpass.

The two were now a good distance away from the garage when faintly...

_"Elisa! Jhon!"_ For a split second, Elisa could have sworn she heard her name. Again,--

_"Elisa! Jhon!"_

Slowing, she glanced back. Jhon also turned this time, looking back toward whatever was calling their names. They both slowed down to a jog. There, by the parking garage, two figures emerged from the crowd; waving.

Elisa squinted in the direction and let out a confused gasp. "Jhon, is that who I think it-"

A loud bang rang out into in the air. The sound of a gunshot fired in the exact same place where Elisa had pulled-

**BOOM!**


	10. Day 15 Evacuation part 3

**DAY 15**

**Evacuation**

**(part 3)**

Charlie flew back, Elisa's grip falling from her arm. She hit the ground with a thud.

Immediately, she shot back up onto her hands and knees and looked around madly. Within seconds, a hoard of screaming people swallowed up Elisa, closing in like a tidal wave. She was gone.

"Elisa?!" Charlie yelled out.

There was no reply.

"Elisa!"

The unbelievably loud and horrific screams of the Infected drowned out all other noise and also, of the confused, chaotic sounds of the un-infected. If Elisa had yelled back, Charlie would not have heard it.

Eyes darting around, she crawled frantically to one side of the road and rolled under a parked car for cover. Beneath the small vehicle, there was barely room for her, her head a good two inches from the bottom of the car. She laid on her stomach, the ground beneath her scraping the palms of her hands as she shifted and crawled to the other side of the car.

Her heart raced in her chest.

All Charlie could see from her position was the rushing feet around her. There were so many of them. Left, right - right, left.

It was madness.

The car above her rocked violently with a loud bang. Charlie shrieked. She froze. Her eyes darted from side to side. Sweat trailed down her face.

She jerked. A strong hand gripped her ankle tightly, dragging her out from under the car.

Charlie let out a horrified scream. It was immediately drowned out by scream of the Infected, as the blood-curdling sound sliced out into the air loud enough to make her ears bleed. Desperately she clawed at the ground as the Infected dragged her.

_Elisa! John! Max!-_

Charlie squealed, the Infected grabbing a handful of her long hair and pulling it painfully. It whipped her around, her face coming inches from its. Bloodshot red eyes, yellow teeth bared, a pungent stench of rotting human flesh-

"Bryce! Bryce!"

She screamed his name again and again.

This was the end.

_BRYCE!_

_"Charlie!"_

---

_**EARLIER THAT DAY...**_

Bryce jolted awake and shot up into a sitting position, his heart beating frantically. Looking around uncontrollably, he reached up for his chest and clung at the damp material covering his injured body.

_Just a dream,_ he thought closing and reopening his eyes, _it was just a stupid dream._

Patches of his black hair were covered in sweat and stuck to his neck, forehead and cheeks. His heart still racing from the dream, he coughed, the bland taste of morning still lingering in his mouth, his chest and throat hurting as he did.

To Bryce's dislike, he--although feeling better on almost every part of his body-was not feeling any relief around his chest and ribs area. It was only his second day awake at the hideout-seeing as how he had been out cold for days before that, sleeping out the worst of it.

Placing his face in his hands, he took a few more deep breaths and wiped his face off, his fingers running through his tangled hair.

_I need a shower,_ he thought, grimacing at his body odor.

It was still early, and Bryce saw that the sun had barely risen yet. From the looks of things, everyone was still in bed.

With one more shake, he swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood up, walking towards the bathroom.

Bryce found himself pleasantly surprised to find that he had almost no problem walking at all! ...Besides the odd kink here and there.

He trudged down the dark green hallway into the tiny bathroom at the very end. Inside was one of those old wood-covered toilets along with a claw-footed tub surrounded in what looked to be cheap plastic shower curtains. Bryce grunted and shut the door behind him as he entered.

He reached behind his head, slowly peeling off his shirt to reveal his battered torso. Already he could tell that the deprivation and lack of food the past two weeks was taking its toll on him. All the muscles in his abdominals and arms protruded from his body, looking more defined than they ever did before. He tentatively ran his fingers over his bruised stomach and chest, shivering at their cold touch.

_Ugh,_ he thought dropping his hands,_ what a piece of work I am._

To his left was an old rusted white sink and above it on the wall, a medicine cabinet.

He opened it.

Inside was an empty tube of toothpaste, a dirty old toothbrush, a half-used bar of soap, some plastic cups, floss, a bottle of aspirin and other miscellaneous items.

He turned the faucet on.

As the water heated, his mind wandered to the immediate task as hand. He would need to leave this place as soon as possible if he was going to find the group again, especially now that he was living with this new family. Something abut them was different... he just couldn't put his finger on it.

Although they seemed very nice, his gut feeling told him not to trust them--they beat him nearly to death after all. What would stop them if they'd want to do it again? Maybe even kill him? That's why he gave them Charlie's name, it probably wouldn't have mattered in the long run--but just incase.

It also gave him an excuse to say her name again, at least.

Bryce reached for the bar of soap and ran it under the water. He then found a face cloth hanging on the ledge of the bath and ran it under the steaming hot water.

He ran it slowly over his body.

_Tomorrow,_ he decided. _I'll be leaving tomorrow._

The school could not be too far off from where-ever they are, seeing as how they had carried his dead weight all the way here. Bryce could easily walk there within an hour an two--depending on his injuries--and also during the day.

_I'll tell them all today when I see them... Okay...um...'I'm sorry and thank you, but I'm leave-'_

He winced, jerking back.

The combination of soap and hot water caused his cuts and scratches to sting wildly. It felt as if thousands of tiny needles were repeatedly stabbing into his skin.

He muttered an oath under his breath, teeth clenched.

_As soon as I'm finished here._

There was a sudden 'bang'.

Bryce jumped, soap slipping out of his hand and hitting the floor. His heart raced.

"What the heck...?"

The sound of thumping of feet came loudly down the hallway, the tracks stopping in front of the washroom door. Something hit the door, hard.

"Oi! Kid--Charlie--wotever the hell ya name is, you in there?"

Bryce stood speechless for a moment. Her name still sound so...

"Ellooo? Hey, d'yeu hear me?" Bryce's visitor banged again.

This was a voice he had never heard before, it was male and sounded distressed.

"Uh...y-yeah!" he stammered, still shocked. "I'm here--I'm in here,"

A shuffling sound at the door occurred as the visitor's shadow flickered on the tiled floor. The person sniffled.

"Get dressed," he commanded, "and get downstairs as fast as ya littl' legs can carry ya."

"What's wrong?" Bryce asked, alarmed.

The shadow flickered once more. "We've got a problem."

---

After dressing himself, Bryce found the doorway that lead to the long flight of wooden stairs and rushed down them as fast as his injured legs would permit him. At the landing, there was another small hallway connecting to two other rooms with large archways for doors. The sound of voices filled the hall along with the dim light of an opened window and lit candle. He made his way toward it.

"I told you, Harry, that staying here was a mistake-"

"I made that decision for the sake of my wife and the for the sake of-"

"I agree with Elizabeth, Harry. We should leave now while we still have the chance."

"Jhon, if you'd just listen for one second-"

He walked into the room. Everyone turned to him. There were definitely new faces that he had not seen before.

Bryce seemed to have walked into a small dimly-light kitchen. Inside it had all the usual commodities(stove, fridge, sink, counter...) and a small boarded-up window above the sink. Everyone sat at a small four-seat plastic dining table to his right.

He smiled slightly, unsure of what to do.

Elizabeth stood from her seat at the table and made her way over to him arms outstretched. She gave him a small hug and then turn behind him, placing her hands on his shoulders.

"Everyone, if you haven't already met him, this is Charlie."

They all gave some type of welcoming gesture--besides Kevin, who sat on the counter with an uninterested look on his face.

"Well, um," she thrust an arm out pointing to each person as she named them, "that there is Harry,"

He was an older-looking man with light gray hair and a large midsection. He gave a kind smile.

"...the woman beside him is his wife, Karen,"

She too was older and had the same gray hair.

"...that's Jhon and George,"

Jhon--Bryce ached hearing that name--was a tall Spanish-looking man with curly black hair and an American accent. George on the other hand--the man who the voice from earlier that morning belonged--was a short, scrawny ginger with an England football toque and a yellow flannel shirt over an old green tee.

"...and you already know me and Kevin."

"H-Hi," Bryce stammered.

John, Bryce noticed, gave him a sympathetic look eying all the injuries he most likely gave the poor teen.

"Euh..." He said taking in a sharp breath, "Sorry. About that..." he frowned. "Really kid, I didn't know."

Bryce gave a small nod. "S-sure, no problem... I guess..."

"You are okay though..."

"Oh, oh yeah. Completely—or at least, for now..." Bryce stammered. This was awkward.

"So," George started, turning back to the table, "what we were sayin' before you came in was how we're going to get out of here."

Bryce's face changed, confusion riddling his features.

"Leave?" he asked. "Why would we do that?"

When the earsplitting sound of gun shots fired off into the streets outside, Bryce ducked. He noticed everyone else doing the same. Elizabeth scrambled across the room yanked her son off of the counter and onto the floor.

"What in the bloody name of-" he yelled out.

"That is exactly why we need to get leavin'!"

Through all the commotion, Bryce managed a stunned question. "What's going on?"

Harry filled him in as fast as he could.

"An evacuation?" Bryce repeated, eyes widening. _An evacuation?! But that would mean-_

Harry continued. "We thought we could ride it out here-"

Elizabeth cut him off angrily. "No Harry, _you _thought we could ride it out through this bloody mess!"

"Yeah, and we better get moving soon," Jhon said and got up from the floor.

More gun shots resounded.

Bryce hesitated. This was not good. There was an evacuation taking place and it was pushing out the whole of England. What was he going to do? At this rate, he'd never find them now—Elisa, John, Max and Charlie. For all Bryce knew, they could all be long gone by now.

Everyone began making their way towards the door.

A gust of wind hit Bryce as the door flew open. Everything was happened so fast. Suddenly, he was out into the streets, people screamed, there was fire and blood. Bryce felt so disoriented and confused...

He stumbled and fell onto his knees.

"Charlie!" Jhon yelled for him.

He grabbed hold of Bryce's wrist and began pulling him along.

Bryce's new group made its way around one corner, then another, and another—there! There was the school, not meters from Bryce. People were bottle-necking at its front doors.

They ran past it.

Buildings, voices, people.

It came at him in blobs of shapes, ambient noises and deranged forms. Bryce couldn't seem to think or do anything at all but be dragged along by his wrist as pain shot up through his calves down the streets of Manchester.

_What am I doing?!_

"Stop!"

He finally found his voice and came to a sudden halt.

His stop was so abrupt that Jhon who had a tight grip on Bryce's wrist lost his hold and tripped forward. Everyone froze and jumped around. Their faces were filled with confusion and fear.

"What, boy?!" Harry hollered.

"Bryce!"

_What..?!_

"Did you just call me...?"

The entire world spun beneath Bryce's feet. A sudden wave of sickness hit him, a faint voice calling him off in some far off place he couldn't remember.

_I know that voice... I know-_

He scanned his surroundings, turning frantically around in circles; straining to listen, to see.

_"Bryce!"_

There.

There, on the side of the street about five houses down--an Infected. In its hands a victem's hair. The Infected whipped the person around.

Bryce's heart stopped dead. His stomach screamed at him.

Charlie. Oh, God, and Infected had Charlie.

Without a second thought, he ran straight toward Harry dead on. With one powerful blow, he tackled the older man down to the ground. At 5'7, he had hit Harry so fast and hard that the two went flying to the asphalt.

The second they made contact with the ground, Bryce lunged for Harry's arms and ripped the crowbar straight out of the Harry's hand. Not skipping a beat, he rolled off and took off into a mad sprint.

"Hey!" He could hear Harry's voice call out behind him. "Charlie! Come back! Charlie!

_Yes. Charlie, come back. I'll save you._

Nothing around him mattered anymore. Nothing. All that there was--all that there needed to be--was the beautiful brown eyed girl and saving her life.

The Infected's mouth closed in to her face.

Bryce's grip tightened around the metal bar. His knuckles were white hot like the burning fury growing inside him.

"Charlie!" he screamed.

The bar came down hard on the Infected's head.

Blood splattered everywhere.

Charlie flew to the ground and rolled to the sidewalk.

Bringing the crowbar up once again, Bryce brought it on the Infected. It screamed. More gore. Again and again he beat it until the screaming ceased. But he didn't stop. He kept on going until the hard bone of ithe Infected's skull was like gravel, then again until it was a thick red mush.

Bryce stopped, heaving.

His heart raced in his ears as if it were going to burst out of his chest. He turned to Charlie.

Her eyes, giant and shining, stared at him in disbelief and confusion.

Bryce opened his mouth slightly, a pained frown on his face. He mouthed her name.

That was it.

Charlie sprang up and threw herself at the young man. Bryce took her in a bone crushing embrace and buried his face into the crook of her shoulder and neck.

"I thought you were dead!" she practically screamed into his ear. She sounded half angry, half absolutely elated.

He pulled back.

"It's a long story but-"

Infected began pouring back into the streets more violently than before. The two looked on in despair. As much as they would have loved to continue catching up, they still needed to get out.

"They were going to get out through there!" Charlie shouted over the noise, pointing over the building.

"It's a-a parking building thing--it'll lead towards the over pass and out of here!"

"Okay'," Bryce said, pulling her slightly behind him now and licked his lips.

He knew they had only one chance at doing this and doing this right. But there was only one problem--the building had been swamped by Infected. By now it would have been almost filled.

"We can't go thought there-"

"There!" Charlie cut in, pointing, "There's another entrance to the building!"

About two blocks down was another garage leading to another overpass that connected to the highway.

Immediately the two ran towards it. They dodged cars, people, houses, everything to get to their destination. The hard beat of Bryce's heart drummed heavily in his ears, its loud beats increasing with each second that they got closer to the building.

Once they were inside, they made their way up he spiral ramp and through the last bit of parking lot, onto the black top. At this point the two were panting, but he knew they still could not stop. They had to find Elisa, John and-

"Max!" Charlie cried beside him interrupting his thoughts.

Bryce spotted Max the second she called out his name, and he ran in their direction. As Max reached them, he slowed to grip Bryce's shoulder.

"You're fucking alive?!" he said with what sounded like genuine surprise. "And you are too? Holy shit!" He looked over to Charlie and shook his head in disbelief.

"Where's Elisa and John?" Bryce demanded, pushing Max's hand off of his shoulder.

A blank expression covered Max's face; his eyes glazed over, and he bent over bracing his weight on his knees, breathing heavily.

"They uh-um... they got locked in I guess, over there at the-"

"And you fucking left them?!" Bryce hollered.

"Well, there were Infected-"

"Hell if there was Infected, Max!" Charlie joined in, Bryce in toe, "They're still in there?!"

"Oh, fuck them!" Max cried, silencing the two. "They fucking deserved every bit that happened to them, the shits, and you bloody fucking know it. The both of them-"

A rush of adrenalin hit Bryce.

Out of nowhere, a fist flew at Max hitting him square in the jaw and sending him flat on his back. He cursed and grabbed at his bleeding mouth.

Charlie gasped.

Bryce took in a sharp breath and clenched his teeth. His hand hung limply at his side, sore from punching Max and most likely broken.

He was just as surprised at himself as Charlie was. But he was just so... _angry_!

_"They saved your fucking life, is what they did!"_ He screamed at the man below him on the ground.

He stood there for another moment, glaring at Max viciously through his mad frenzy of curls. The heft of the crow bar felt good in his hand. Oh, how he wanted to kill max right now. A cool hand then fell onto Bryce's arm. Charlie gave him a small tug in the other direction of where John and Elisa were to be.

Reluctantly, Bryce turned to follow Charlie.

He glanced over his shoulder, giving Max one final hateful glare. "You deserve what ever horrible death you have coming to you."

"Bryce?" Charlie tugged him again.

Bryce steeled himself, turning his back on Max forever. "Yeah, lets go find them."

He reached over and took Charlie's hand with his good one. She took it and gave a wiry smile to him. He smiled back.

As they ran, Bryce heard a barrage of Infected emerged from the entrance behind him. Bryce kept running.

As they came closer to the building, dozens of people spilled out onto the black-top and in the lead were Elisa and John.

"Bryce look! There they are!" Charlie cried, letting go of his hand and speeding up to catch them. Elisa and John were in a full-out sprint heading down in the other direction.

"Elisa! John!" Charlie called.

Bryce joined his voice with hers, "John!" "Elisa!"

They snaked their way around the crowd and came up out of them. Bryce waved one arm in the air, a grin spreading across his face.

The two seemed to slow and turn around, looking to see who was calling to them.

"I think they heard us!" Charlie gleamed, also waving now. "Elisa!"

There were gunshots. Bryce felt a sudden push of heat.This was not good._ Oh shit--!_

Bryce tackled Charlie to the ground and rolled to the side of the road.

**BOOM!**

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: This chapter is dedicated to Jan Lee and all the hard work she put in for me! It meant so much to me!!! :) Also, a quick thank you to Brandon-Illiam-Lee and xxDibDabxx for helping encourage me to finish the story much faster and really push over the last little mountain of this story :) Thank you all very much again for the reviews!**

**To Ben: Well, I'm really sorry that the beginning of my story displeases you. I love this movie also very much and just wanted to make it more exciting to read in the beginning. Also to clear things out, if a raging group of crazy people were ravaging the country side, the people would not go straight to VIRUS! They would most likely start with terrorist attack, cult or something absurd like that. I am sorry that you were not pleased with it. Please keep reading though, and I hope you enjoy the rest of the story :)**

**Now for my little drabble on his chapter.**

On the spot, I thought up Bryce punching out Max because him getting ripped apart by Infected really wasn't enough for me. What can I say, I made the character out to be hated and grew a sort of horrible hatred towards him :P I'm so mean lol I just needed that cherry on top, you know? well that has to be my favorite part in the entire thing. that moment, when he socks him out is just gold to me :D

also to point out something which I really don't care to go back and fix, John's name is indeed spelt **JOHN** and not **JHON**. That's that other guy from _28 Weeks Later Alternate Ending_. The names were a complete mistake also. I hadn't planned on the group coming back in this story originally but found it fitting and stuck 'em in not realizing that one of the characters had already been named Jhon -_-'''' Ah well :P

Here is a link to a poster I had made a long while back at the beginning of the story for fun :D

.com/art/28-Hours-Later-128742026

I'll have the sketches and drawings colored(possibly??) along with banners and other for the last chapter which should also be coming out soon :)

Thank you all--as small of a number as you are--very very much once again for reading this! It has been really fun writing this and even reading it over on my part :P I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I had and continue to read my work! Hah, that would be amazing :P

WOOT! Peace, yallz XD


	11. Day 20 Devistation FINAL

**DAY 20**

**DEVASTATION**

After the explosion had gone off, everything went blurry. All sound seemed to turn off; nothing but a deaf, ear-popping silence.

Elisa cried out as she watched the flames rise higher and higher, John struggling to hold her back from running headlong into the fire. Tears ran down her face and she collapsed onto the ground, hands still reaching out to towards the wreck.

Charlie and Bryce were thrown up viciously against the concrete side railing of the overpass and were knocked out.

The entire building erupted in flames--everyone and everything inside immediately vaporized. Outside, debris, along with bits and chunks of brick from the building crashed into the streets below, as well as onto the overpass.

People screamed. No one could hear them, but they]were. Screaming. On the inside, they were all screaming.

It was over.

---

_"John, help me lift them..."_

_"'Ere, you take Charlie..."_

_"Wake up[,] you two..."_

_"Come on, we've got ta get movin'..."_

---

For five days, Bryce, Charlie, Elisa and John had made their way down towards Drover.

They had made it through the city down the maze of over-pass highway roads until finally, they had gotten out. To Bryce's and Charlie's luck, the two were found by John and Elisa after the explosion and only suffered very few minor injuries. Elisa and John had carried them three kilometers before they finally awoke and could walk on their own.

They had considered following out their original plan to Charlie's cottage, but that would be like walking to their deaths after the fire. Most likely, it hadn't killed all of the Infected in Manchester, driving out most of them into the surrounding forests. If they all has death wishes, sure, camp, why not? But after making it this far, and with what they had suffered through to do so, oh no. They were making _damn sure_ that they were going to live.

So off to Drover they went. It was going to be a long walk.

Not once had they run into another Infected since that day in Manchester, --which was now almost completely covered in flames. Looking back towards the orange and red horizon, chills of amazement and disbelief filled each member of the group.

During the evacuation, fires had ignited all through out the city and with no firemen to extinguish the flames, they raged on untouched. Explosions also erupted through Manchester as the fire reached the gas stations and gas lines riddled amongst the city. With the afternoon breeze, ash, along with the stench of smoke and burning asphalt drifted their way. The entire city was now nothing but the world's largest smoke signal, a massive gray cloud covering the entire area.

On the way they found some food in gas stations, small market stores and empty homes. During the day, as usual, they would do most of their walking. When at night, they would rest and take shelter in the cover of the many large trees growing out of the side of the road.

The level of connection within the group had also changed. It seemed lighter and much happier. To their absolute amazement, John had even told jokes. His usual haughty attitude seemed to simmer down to nothing but a glowing coal and seemed to even become better after learning of Max's demise. He even clapped Bryce on the back with a wide smile for punching Max in the face. Elisa was not as impress as John and a bit sad, but for the most part she seemed mostly unaffected.

She too was also doing well. Elisa hadn't had one single panic attack since they had gotten out of Manchester. And as for Bryce and Charlie, they could have never been more pleased than when they spent time with each other.

"We're here," John said with a sigh as they approached the marina.

It was midday, and the sky was a bright, beautiful blue with a cool breeze blowing. The sun warmed their skin and smiles spread across all of their faces as they walked down the long wooden dock. The soft sound of water rapping on the against the shoreline along with the chime of seagulls filled their ears along with the smell of sea.

Charlie took Bryce's hand and pulled him along the dock behind her.

"Over there! We'll use that one!" she said happily, pointing over to a boat.

Behind them, Elisa also jogged up behind John and laced her fingers within his, resting her chin on his shoulder. She smiled up at him and he turned to her, returning the gesture.

"Hard to believe that almost a month ago we were stuck in that airplane in that God-forsaken airport," Elisa said, watching Bryce and Charlie,]who were getting into a boat.

John shook his head and sighed, "Yeah," he admitted, "hard to believe."

John planted a tender kiss on Elisa's forehead and they began swinging hands, giggling slightly.

When they reached the boat, Charlie and Bryce were already in and ready to take off.

"Hurry up!" Bryce laughed.

"We're comin', we're comin'," John smiled.

He jumped in and helped Elisa on board.

It was a medium sized white motor boat with two leather seats at the front and a matching bench at the back. A bright blue ring encircled the boat and on it's sides written in thick black cursive, _The Escape_.

John chuckled, _How appropriate._

Once the two of them were settled into the front seats, Charlie and Bryce sat together in the back, gazing out behind them as the boat's motor rumbled loudly, filling the air.

As they pulled out of the marina, Bryce couldn't help feel an overwhelming wash of relief wash over him. He glanced over to Charlie, only to see that she was staring at him. She sighed and put her head on her hands, resting her arms onto the back of the boat.

Although unspoken, the knowledge and feelings everyone shared were the same.

They were finally free.

They had made it out alive and they were okay. They were okay.

Bryce looked back out towards England. It was time to go home--to their new home and to their new lives. This was going to work. Although more obstacles were sure to threaten their path in the near and far future, he knew, he just knew. Everything was going to be better.

"Bye Mum, bye Dad...goodbye Mark." he heard Charlie whisper.

He turned to Charlie and reached out for her hand again. "Charlie, you okay?"

She took a breath in and nodded, "I believe so,"

She paused and looked over to him, eyes searching his. "And you?"

He looked down to the small hand in his and rubbed it, laughing to himself.

"Yeah," he answered, "yeah, I'm okay...."

He lifted his gaze and brushed her cheek.

"I'm okay."

**AUTHORS NOTE: Jan thank you again one last time for doing this with me and begin an amazing Beta. You helped me so much with the story and also helped me become a better writer. For that I am forever grateful :)**

**OTHER NOTES:**

--I really have no idea if Manchester actually has overpasses. They might... they might not. Facts up the bum, in the end I could care less.

--On the part of characters.. Charlie was never really the main character in the story initially and still is not. It was Bryce, Charlie just happened to open the story. He, I knew from the beginning, was going to be the main character while I also wanted to tell the story from another character's prospective—Charlie-- along with that of Elisa's, John's and Max's—a painful(on my part :P) compromise I need to choose later in the story. Although the prospective jumps from character, it really helped tell the story in how keeping it under one singular person or overall observation could not.

--as far as the romances go, Charlie and Bryce like each other which is pretty obvious. From the minute I started I knew that their relationship wasn't going anywhere past batting meaning holding hands, hugging, and just being cute. They're 14 and 15 after all, that would be just pushing it a bit because this clearly isn't a romance story :P That's why I brought Elisa and John in around the middled. I really wanted to do a little romance somewhere (because usually I write romances) and Charlie and Bryce clearly were NOT going to over step that boundary so I moved along to bigger fish.

I can't believe it's been a year (and a few?) since I started this story! I was reading thought and man were those first few chapters brutal. When me and Jan first started out on this story I was in gr 8 and we still had not perfected the whole beta corrections plan and was also writing circles around in the dark not knowing what exactly I was doing. I'm in gr 10 now haha! Now though that the entire story is finished, I'm considering going back and fixing the entire thing up, but that will most likely not happen :P well at least not any time soon. Thank you again to all my few readers(haha) for taking the time to read and review the chapters! I hope you all really enjoyed it ^_^ I'm very happy that I started and finished this story, even if I have so few readers. It makes me feel very proud of myself that I have been able to finish something that I myself enjoy. It's like I have all these Ideas and stories inside of me and I've managed to completely let one out. This was fun! Thank you again everyone!

_Here is a link to a poster I made for the story: __.com/art/28-Hours-Later-128742026_

_Here is a ling to the character sketches(drawings): .com/art/28HL-Character-Sketch-131266553_

"_There are two mistakes one can make along the road to truth...not going all the way, and not starting."_

_-Buddha._


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